


I'm Sorry

by Tiacchi



Category: Kuroko no Basuke | Kuroko's Basketball
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Friendship, Hurt/Comfort, Romance, Semi Angst, learning to love again
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-22
Updated: 2021-01-22
Packaged: 2021-03-03 23:01:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 52,877
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24853504
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Tiacchi/pseuds/Tiacchi
Summary: You just wanted to see him happy again.. But the harder you push, the further he grows distant. Until you decide it's better if you end it... Until you discover your love for basketball again.
Relationships: Aomine Daiki/Reader
Comments: 2
Kudos: 42





	1. Will you Walk away from Us?

**Author's Note:**

> SO! I originally wrote this about 5 years ago? And I first posted it on Deviantart.. Then I decided to upload the chapters onto Tumblr . People kept asking about it, and I decided to re-upload it to here so it's easier to find! I edited the first few chapters from DA. So if it's slightly different, you know why haha. I hope you enjoy it nonetheless!

Kicking a small pebble on the ground, you sighed as your feet carried you away from the school. Basketball practice just finished and you were upset that Aomine chose to skip out yet again. Since the match against Seirin, he’s been more distant and uncaring about the sport. On occasion, you’d catch him mutter about how the game was stupid or it was too much effort to actually play.

_‘The only one who can beat me is me.’_

“Such a stupid phrase” you muttered as you tighten your grip on your [f/c] bag.

You can see the smile on his face from back in middle school, when he used to encourage you to play. He would always play one-on-one with you and Satsuki would be the referee. At times, you would try to include her, but she’d kindly reject, saying something about how the teams would be unfair. One time, she decided to play with you against Aomine, and the game was almost tied until he did a fake at the last second and won by shooting a three.

* * *

_'Ha! You guys still couldn’t beat me! You guys suck!’ He laughed with a huge smile._

_A younger Satsuki pouted before placing her fists on her hips, “We don’t suck Dai-chan! You’re just too good at it! Come on! One more game! This time we’ll win for sure! Right _____-chan?”_

_Rubbing the back of your head, you replied nervously, “I wish I could keep playing Satsuki-chan, but I have to get home. My mother will be starting to worry if I’m not back.”_

_Tapping her foot impatiently, she gave you a look as though she didn’t buy your excuse but rolled her eyes, “Alright fine! But this isn’t over Dai-chan! We will beat you one day!”_

_Crossing his arms, he looked at the two of you before giving his signature smirk, “I’d like to see you try.”_

* * *

Feeling as though you were about to cry, you hastily wiped your eyes with your sweater before looking up from the ground. You heard shouts coming from this direction and as you walked by, you realized it was Seirin. Remembering how devastated Kuroko looked after the match, you felt your feet running against your will to the back. 

Upon arriving, you saw the basketball team running laps and a girl who was a bit taller than you blow her whistle before giving more orders. You guessed she was the coach and feeling as though you were intruding, decided to turn your body around before you were caught.

“Oi, what are you doing here?”

Hearing a deep voice, you spin around only to see Hyuga Junpei address you with a frown on his face. You forgot you were still wearing your Touou uniform and guessed that was the reason he was giving you such a frightening stare. Bowing, you kept your eyes on him as you began to speak,

“Ano… I didn’t mean to intrude. I just remembered Kuroko-kun came here and I wanted to see how he was doing since the match.”

He raised an eyebrow, “You know Kuroko?”

Fiddling with your fingers, you nodded, “We’ve been friends since middle school. I heard all over my school about the match. I know I have no reason to be here but-”

“______-san?”

Turning your eyes to the blue-haired boy beside Hyuga, you could feel the stares of the rest of the team as they all turned their attention to the four of you. You were so focused on your conversation with the older male, you failed to realize Kagami had showed up with Kuroko and it only made you more nervous.

“Oi, Kuroko. You know her?”

He nodded, “____-san went to Teiko with the rest of us. She helped Momoi-san with managing the team. They’ve been inseparable since.”

Feeling extremely nervous at the attention, you turned to the black haired male, “Is it okay if I borrow Kuroko-kun and Kagami-kun for a bit? I promise I’ll leave as soon as I’m done. I just need to speak with them!”

The three boys were caught off guard with your plea but what shocked them the most was the desperation in your voice. 

Hyuuga frowned before sighing, “Alright. I’ll let you talk with them. Maybe you can snap them out of the rut they’re in.”

You breathed a sigh of relief before bowing once more, “Arigatou! I won’t interrupt practice again!”

Watching their captain walk towards Riko, both boys turned their attention to you. Kuroko was wondering why you were here a few days after their loss when you should’ve been celebrating with Touou. Kagami couldn’t believe there was another person who went to school with Aomine and had to deal with his shitty attitude.

“So what’s wrong, ____-san? It’s not like you to be walking around by yourself.”

You sigh, feeling the hopelessness creep under your skin. “I’m sorry for the way Aomine-kun treated you.”

Both their eyes widened before Kagami recovered from the shock, “Tch. You don’t have to apologize for his stupid ass. It’s not as though you’re responsible for his actions. Besides,” he pauses, a fierce grin on his lips as his hand clenches into a fist, “We’re not giving up! We’ll beat them next time!”

You watch as Kagami ruffles Kuroko’s hair, earning him a swat from the smaller male. You felt yourself zone out watching how the two interact. It reminded you of the good old days, when Aomine and Kuroko were light and shadow. Your eyes start to glaze over with unshed tears before Kuroko’s worried voice snaps you out of it.

"Kuroko-kun… Kagami-kun…” You took a deep breath before you felt your voice harden, “Please beat Aomine-kun.”

Both of them looked at you with wide eyes, as though you had two heads. Kuroko could see the seriousness in your eyes and he was fully aware of your crush on the tanned skin boy.

What he **_didn’t_** know was you guys were already dating and he had started to act distant towards you, making you feel lonely and sad. You didn’t know who else to turn to with this problem however, so you chose to keep it to yourself. You never told Aomine about it in fear of what he’d say.

“I know… it’s a lot to ask of you two… But I feel he’s more threatened by the two of you. He probably doesn’t show it though because of his stupid pride and his self-centered ego. But I know the old Aomine-kun is there somewhere.”

You pause, contemplating your next words, trying to keep calm.

“I just hate seeing the entire group like this. This wasn’t how it was back in middle school and I know time changes people, but I hate how things are between us.”

Feeling a hand on your shoulder, you look up from the ground - you don’t remember looking down - to see Kuroko give a small smile. When you felt a pat on the head, you look up and see Kagami give his signature smirk. When you see the two of them together, it gives you this warm, fuzzy feeling in your chest, as though everything is going to be fine.

“Don’t worry ______, we’ll beat Aomine next time. If not for you, it’ll be for Kuroko’s sake. That asshole won’t beat us twice. You can count on us beating his ass in the Winter Cup.”

And suddenly with Kagami’s words and Kuroko’s stare, you knew things were going to be fine.

Or so you thought.

* * *

Aomine yawned for the fifth time as he headed home. He was surprised you or Satsuki didn’t pester him into going to practice like you normally did. He had caught up with her, asking if she knew where you were as you usually walked home with him.

_'I don’t know Aomine-kun. She seemed down when you didn’t show up. Come to think of it, ____-chan has been distant since the match against Seirin. I wonder why.’_

The frown on his face deepened as he went over the last line in his mind.

_’_____-chan has been distant since the match against Seirin.’_

Did you not want them to win? Did you have more faith in Tetsu than him, even though you two were dating? If he could recall, he had met you through Tetsu and Satsuki, both claiming he was really dense to not notice sooner as you were always there. 

You guys had been secretly dating since the ninth grade and you never once cheered for another team. You always cheered for Aomine to win, even when things started changing. It’s true Aomine has been completely unaware of everything happening, but he always paid attention to you.

Even if he didn’t anything.

When he walked past Seirin high, he saw [h/c] hair blowing in the wind. He thought he was imagining things. But when he blinked several times, he felt himself freeze in anger. 

There you stood, Kagami’s hand on your head while giving you a smile as Kuroko’s hand laid on your shoulder. Aomine didn’t care much about Tetsu talking with you. But he could feel his anger rising when he saw that bastard Kagami touching you so friendly. What made him angrier was seeing you smile at the two, as though the three of you had a secret he wasn’t allowed to know.

For some reason, his chest tightened before shrugging it off. Without him noticing, his feet forced him to run in your direction, taking you by surprise as he roughly grabs your hand and yanks you away from the Seirin players.

He hears you gasp in shock and he knew you were looking at him with scared eyes, but he didn’t pay attention to your gaze. Instead, he chose to direct his attention to the two boys standing there, one with a frown while the other had an indifferent expression.

“Good evening, Aomine-kun.”

He sent a quick glance to Kuroko before turning his glare to Kagami, “What do you think you’re doing Kagami? Who said you could touch ______?”

You noticed the lack of ‘-chan’, increasing your initial fear. He only ever used your name when he was angry. And judging by his voice, he was **_furious_**.

“If you weren’t such an ass, she wouldn’t be coming here and disrupting practice. Coach is gonna kill us.” Kagami replied, arms crossed, “Instead of yelling at me, maybe you should be caring about _____. If you actually gave a shit about her, she wouldn’t be running to Kuroko.”

You felt the growl in Aomine’s throat and you turn your attention to Kuroko, who stood there, meeting your stare. It was as though both of you knew what was going to happen if someone didn’t do anything soon. 

Pressing both your hands on Aomine’s shirt, you grasp it tightly, causing him to look down. You knew there was a look of sadness in your eyes but what shocked you was the hurt hidden beneath those angry hues.

“Let’s go, Aomine-kun… **_Please_**?”

He gave Kagami a quick glare before sighing. Turning his gaze back to you, he nods. Turning his body, he starts to head out the gate, pulling you by the sleeve of your sweater. Before you left the property, you send Kagami and Kuroko an apologetic glance, which they seem to understand as they nod and smile at you before returning to practice.

The wind blew by, causing you to shiver, as Aomine drags you down the street. You knew better than to say anything, unless you want to hear him yell. Your gaze caught the sight of a basketball court and you couldn’t help but smile at seeing a group of children playing. They were laughing and yelling happily as they had no care in the world. It only served to remind you of how Aomine used to be before things went downhill at Teiko.

“I’m tired of this.”

You blink in surprise before feeling air rush out of your lungs. When he turns his icy glare at you, the fear from earlier came slamming into you full force and you had never felt your eyes widen that much in your life.

“I think it’s best if we end this.”

 _'End what exactly? Our friendship? Our… Relationship?’_  
  
You feel your hands ball into fists as you try to hold back anger. You didn’t want him to see you vulnerable and weak, and you definitely didn’t want him to see your broken heart.

“Am I not good enough for you, Aomine-kun? Is that why you don’t want to be together anymore?”

His glare didn’t scare you as much as it did back in middle school, because you knew he was suffering as much as you, even if he chooses to deny it. You let out a sigh as the silence continues. If he had nothing to say, at least it was easier for you to talk.

“Daiki…”

Hearing his first name from your lips causes his eyes to widen. Though he was still frowning, you knew he was shocked at you addressing him by his first name.

“I love you… I always have and I always will.. So if you think… This is the best thing for us… I won’t stop you… Just know that I never stopped believing in you…” 

You look away, staring up at the orange sky, feeling your heart pounding in your chest. “It’s true I was rooting for Kuroko-kun during the match… But only because I truly believe him beating you would change who you were..” You pause, taking a deep breath. 

I thought if you lost, you’d go back to liking basketball again and smile when you play… One of the reasons I stuck with you is because I didn’t want you to regret your decision if you chose to quit. I wanted to keep supporting you. But it’s okay now… I understand and I’m sorry I ever thought I could change you.“

You take another deep breath, feeling as though you got a lot off your chest. Completely unaware you were crying, you turn your head and gave him the biggest smile, wiping the frown off his face and replacing it with a look of hurt and shock.

"Goodbye, Daiki…”

_'And thank you… For everything.“_


	2. You were my passion, and yet I've lost you.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> You couldn't stop yourself from defending him... After all, You were in love with him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm going to try uploading a chapter per day... So far I've only finished eight... and I kind of hope with publishing it here, I may feel inspired to finish this piece... (It was one of my first stories I wrote for knb, and I put a lot of time and effort into making it ! :D)

It had been a week since the break up and you were avoiding basketball practice. Despite knowing Aomine rarely shows up, you didn’t want to risk running into him, in fear something would happen. You attempted to avoid all places he went - with the exception of classes. You have the same schedule and you couldn’t afford to miss any, despite having good grades. 

To your relief **and** disappointment, he rarely showed.

“Ne, _____-chan, have you seen Aomine-kun?” Satsuki asks.

As the bell rings,signifying the end of another long day, your body stiffens at her question and you know she noticed. Whether she already knew what happened or she was oblivious, you didn’t know. But you didn’t have enough energy to stick around to find out.

“Sorry, Satsuki-chan. I haven’t.”

You avoid looking at her, not wanting to show the sadness and disappointment on your face. You told him you were okay with ending it, but your heart clenches in pain every time you see him or had any thoughts of him. 

You still believed in him, and everything you said was true, but it hurt you to know he didn’t feel the same towards you. The thought alone confuses you because to be honest, you weren’t sure if he was hurting or not. You didn’t want to know if he was, in fear you’d cave and make up with him.

But he’s the one that broke it off in the first place. So why do you feel like you’re the one who misread his words?

“Will you at least come to practice today? The entire team is concerned for you. They’re constantly asking where you are.”

_‘And yet they never show concern when Aomine-kun doesn’t show. They have some nerve. If they have time to worry about anyone, it should be him.’_

You sigh before turning your eyes towards Momoi. You hear the gasp escape her mouth and you weren’t sure what you were expressing, but you definitely feel irritated. Rubbing the back of your neck, you focus your attention on the courtyard as you contemplate your response. 

It’s true you had been neglecting everyone because you didn’t want to face him. But at the same time, you didn’t know what to do. Skipping out is quite uncharacteristic for you and of course would make everyone worry, especially when you attend class but not practice. It wasn’t fair to the team because it’s not like they made you upset. Why should they have to suffer?

_'I guess I have no choice. The others shouldn’t be concerned about me though. They should be focusing on the Winter Cup.’_

You caught the hurt look on your best friend’s face through the window, failing to realize you’d voiced your thoughts out loud. Turning your head away in shame, you decide to head to the gym. Momoi could feel her chest tighten in pain as she brought her hand up, as though wanting to stop you. 

Whatever happened between you and Aomine must be bad if you had that look on your face. She wants to ask, but the words were caught on the tip of her tongue. Shaking her head, she quickly caught up to you to place a hand on your shoulder, a small smile on her face.

“I’ll see you at practice, okay _____-chan?”

You give her a short nod before resuming your walk to the gym, an emotionless mask plastered on your face.

Momoi could feel the difference in your posture and it worries and scares her.

_'What happened between you and Aomine-kun?’_

* * *

When you got to the gym, the voices of the team jolt you from your thoughts. You saw them look around the gym, always used to you attending practice with Aomine and Momoi or sometimes both. Realizing neither were with you, they give you a confused glance.

Shrugging, as though you knew what they were asking you, you place your bag on the bench, “I don’t know. It’s not like I watch them all the time. They don’t need babysitters. Satsuki went somewhere so she probably went to find him.”

Wakamatsu fumed, “That bastard! Captain! Why do we allow him to play if he never comes to practice? How is it fair to the rest of us who bust our asses?”

Imayoshi sighed, “I already told you, Wakamatsu, it doesn’t matter as long as he plays and wins. I could care less if he shows up.”

Hearing that statement, your whole body freezes before turning your eyes towards the captain.

_'Imayoshi-senpai didn’t really say that, did he?’_

* * *

Momoi runs to the rooftop, her instincts tell her Aomine would be hiding up there. It wasn’t a good hiding spot but he seems to think so, despite being caught, when he wants to skip out. The look you sent her before leaving to the gym sends shivers down her spine and makes her chest tighten once more. It felt similar to what happened back in Teiko and the thought doesn’t sit well with her.

_'It’s like ____-chan is changing into Aomine-kun. I can’t let this happen.’_

Feeling determined, her mind wills her legs to move faster. When she reaches the doors to the roof, she pushes them open, her breaths come out harshly before she decides to climb the ladder. Her instincts were right as she notices a flash of navy blue hair poking out.

“Aomine-kun!”

The bluenette opens one eye lazily and directs his gaze to his childhood friend. Sighing, he props himself up on his hands, stretching before leaning back. His eyebrow lift, horribly confused at his friend’s reaction.

“Satsuki.. What do you want?”

Bracing her hands on her knees, she fought to catch her breath, feeling tears start to form in her eyes. When was the last time Aomine addressed her without irritation? When was the last time he sounded happy to see her?

She didn’t know.

“Why aren’t you at practice? If we want to get stronger, you need to be there!”

He shrugs, “The coach said I didn’t have to go as long as I play in games. Half the time I’m not needed to win because they’re all weak. It’s exhausting to show up, let alone play.”

Placing her hands on her hips, Momoi fumes, “That doesn’t matter Aomine-kun! You’ve also been skipping classes! Pretty soon, if you don’t start showing, your grades will drop and they will kick you off the team.”

He chuckles, “I doubt they’d do that. I’m sure the team realizes they can’t win without me. If I wasn’t there, we wouldn’t be as strong as we are now. Besides, why are you worrying so much Satsuki? Aren’t you supposed to be at practice?”

“I’m not going until you agree to come with me! I managed to convince ____-chan to go because she’s been skipping too! I shouldn’t have to convince the both of you to go.”

Aomine blinks, _’_____ hasn’t been going? That’s unusual, even for her. She’s never skipped anything, even when she’s sick.’_

Momoi could see her words were beginning to place an effect on her friend, as he sits there in silence. His eyes narrow, betraying his emotionless mask for a couple seconds before reappearing.

“Aomine-kun… I’m not going to force you to talk about what happened between you and _____-chan, but I can’t allow you to keep missing practices. It’s one thing to show up late, but to skip out…”

He sighs in annoyance, “Alright Satsuki. Jeez you can be a real pain sometimes. I’ll go if you stop harping on me!”

She blinks in surprise, _'That didn’t take much. Is it because I mentioned ___-chan?’_

A small smile appears on her face before she begins to head down the ladder, “Sure.”

Grabbing his backpack, Aomine sighs.

_'Guess it’s time.’_

* * *

“Imayoshi-senpai… You don’t mean that do you?” You could feel anger surface at those words, the phrase constantly repeating in your head, like a broken record.

Everyone notices the mood change drastically, and Sakurai was smart enough to keep his 'sorries’ to himself. The air in the room was thick, it was hard for ____ to breathe. He, too, feels shocked at hearing the phrase from his captain’s mouth, but it was the way you responded that scares him more.

“Do you… **ALL** of you… only play basketball to win?” You felt your heart race and your head was spinning, sending thoughts of the past rushing back to your memory. You didn’t want to remember what happened back then, the pain was too much and if you had to relive it…

Imayoshi sighs before directing his gaze to you, “What I mean, ____-chan, is if Aomine chooses to not show up, it won’t affect our performance. He’s the strongest on the team. Asking him to come practice is meaningless because he can’t improve with weak teammates.”

“So you’re all okay with not wanting to catch up to him then? You’re just going to place the blame on him if you lose?”

“It’s not that we don’t want to catch up, _____-san.” Wakamatsu replies.

“It’s just we know no matter how hard we train, we won’t be his equal. I’ve accepted that Aomine will always be the strongest, and that’s why I depend on him to win. That’s to say, we don’t play as a team. None of us are friends and we’ve all accepted that our common goal is to win. Why else would you play if not to simply show you’re the best?” Imayoshi asks.

You feel your fists tighten in anger, your body starts to shake and words from the past mingle with Imayoshi’s voice.

_'As long as we win, I don’t care if he chooses to show up or not. At this point, we’re all rivals. We don’t play together because we’re friends. We play to win.’_

Akashi’s voice echoes through your mind and you clench your teeth in anger. 

_'It’s his fault everyone is like this. We never used to think this way. And now, that’s all everyone seems to care about.’_

“You’re all **selfish**.”

Everyone, including the coach, turns their attention to you. At this point, you only felt hurt and betrayed. It stung to have those words thrown back in your face.

You didn’t hold back.

“Daiki isn’t your tool! He’s a human being who has feelings! You can’t treat him differently because he’s part of the 'Generation of Miracles’. If you took the time to ask him, he’d tell you he hates that title! He may be powerful when it comes to basketball, but he practices and trains to get there! He may have developed a lot differently, but that doesn’t make him a monster! You can’t rely on your ace to win every game!" 

You were so angry, you didn’t see Imayoshi’s eyes widen at your outburst.   
  
_'Has she been feeling this way for a while now?’  
_  
Everyone else watches with wide eyes, surprised and shocked you snapped. They’d never seen you like this before.   
  
"Why play a sport if you don’t like it? Victory? What is that if you’re not happy about it afterwards? Winning isn’t everything! In order to truly understand victory, you have to lose.”

You stop, attempting to gather your thoughts, but all that comes out is years of bottled emotions, and a hatred for the man who tore your friends apart.

“All of you are assholes! You’re all egotistical, thinking everything is okay as long as you have Daiki. What if something happens to him and he can no longer play? Are you just gonna throw him away and replace him without considering his feelings? It’s people like you who made him into the monster he is today!”

Panting, you feel the tears fall down your reddened cheeks, but you didn’t care. You were angry and hurt and you had never felt this lonely since Teiko. You couldn’t help but feel betrayed. This team, you thought worked together, fought battles together, ends up being the same as they were back then. 

You didn’t want a repeat of **Teiko**.

Why didn’t you go to Seirin with Kuroko?

Gasping, you feel as though you couldn’t breathe at the thought. You already knew the reason you didn’t follow him or any of the others.

You love Aomine Daiki.

You didn’t go with any of the other members because they all had their own paths picked out. Since Aomine’s growth in basketball, you swore to yourself you’d stick with him, and never abandon him. Your devotion to him was the only thing that kept you from going to another school. You wanted to see Aomine continue to grow and shine in the spotlight. But more than that, you wanted to see if he would go back to his old self.

Laughing internally at your thoughts, you feel despair claim your heart once more.

_'No. These guys aren’t the only selfish ones… The real selfish one is myself. If anything, I’m the real monster.’_

Lost in your thoughts, you didn’t realize Momoi had arrived with Aomine until your name escaped her lips.

“_____-chan?!”

Jolting your head, you turn your [e/c] eyes towards your best friend, only to feel your brain shut down at seeing Aomine with her. His eyes were staring at you, shock and pain evident in his dark blue hues. You didn’t know how long he’d been standing there with your pink-haired best friend, nor did you know how loud you were yelling. But it was obvious he heard every word you said.

_'What have I done?’_

The conflicted emotions continue to rage on within your mind as you never took your eyes from his. His emotions were wide open and you could feel the raw pain radiate off his defeated form. 

_'Wait, defeated form?'_

Willing your brain to start working, you slowly began to analyze his body posture and his expressions. Aomine was usually a well-guarded person, more so since the last year of Teiko. When you first met him, he was almost as easy to read as he is now. A part of you was happy he was somewhat back to his old self, but the bigger part of you was sad it was all because of this.

As though you were on autopilot, your arms reached for your [f/c] bag and you dash out of the gym. It was a mistake for you to show up. You knew that, and yet you still chose to go because you hated disappointing everyone. Was this all you were good at? Being a nuisance to others and forcing your feelings onto them? If that’s the case, you don’t want to do that anymore.

_'I won’t show anyone my heart. No one can take it.’_

Tanned arms appear in your vision and before you know it, you were pinned to the lockers. Have you always been this slow? You thought you would’ve been fast enough to escape Aomine’s long legs. 

You had the head start after all. 

But were you even running? Nothing makes sense to you right now. Aomine’s presence was overwhelming your senses, and his scent invaded your nose.

Has it only been a week since you saw him?

His breath brushes your cheeks, sending shivers down your spine. You could vaguely hear them through a tunnel-like trance and you knew instinctively he was closer than you would’ve liked. He may have been the one to suggest the break up, but in reality, it was you who walked away.

All because of a misunderstanding in his words.

Your breaths were shaky, short and harsh as you tried to restart your entire body. You were completely surrounded by Aomine, and your heart thuds in your chest, fast and loud. You try to catch up so you wouldn’t have a panic attack but it was as though your body betrays you. As though it didn’t want you to leave his presence. Your mind tries to scream at your legs to move, your arms to push him back. But when you tilt your head to look into his eyes, your lips were immediately covered by his soft and warm ones.

And your entirely mind went blank.

You couldn’t remember how to breathe, how to think, or even how to blink. Your eyes subconsciously closed and your body sank into his, and it felt as though you were coming home. Your [h/c] hair, which was in a pony tail earlier, had fallen down your back as he threads his fingers through. Your hands trail up his arm and one snaked into his hair, yanking him closer to your lips in desperation.

You didn’t want him to let go, of what you had together, even if you had already walked away. You didn’t want anyone else to kiss these lips, to see this gaze, except you. Your other hand grasps his uniform, pulling on the fabric tightly as though you wanted to rip it off. 

You definitely didn’t want anyone else to lay their fingers on his body. All of this, including his heart, was yours, and you’d be damned if you gave it up so easily. Despite being lost in your thoughts and his kiss, you vaguely hear a growl from his throat before he pulls away, licking his lips.

Your eyes opened slightly, your vision hazy, to stare into navy blue eyes. He was so unguarded in this moment, despite not saying a word, and this throws you off guard. But this also felt like a bucket of ice cold water was dumped on you.

Why would you allow him to kiss you so willingly, as though he owns you, when he was the one who originally threw you away?

When your mind caught up with everything, you realize Aomine was gone, and you were the only one in the hallway. Had you just imagined seeing that look in his eyes? Did he actually kiss you so passionately and desperately you felt like you were floating on air? 

Feeling so utterly helpless and confused, you pick yourself up off the ground, you don’t remember sitting down, and start walking home, completely uncaring of how you appeared in the moment. You saw the old Aomine, even if it was only for a few seconds.

So why did it make you feel so lonely? You felt as though someone stabbed a knife in your chest and yank it out, allowing blood to spill all over the ground. It was as though someone grabbed your heart, threw it on the ground and stomped on it before leaving you to lay there, pleading for someone to save you. The moment would never come. No one would come. Everyone else was busy with their own struggles, why would anyone want to help?

You didn’t realize you were outside, watching a game of basketball on the court, until a ball rolled and hit your foot.

Blinking, you feel yourself begin to pick it up, feeling the smooth rubber between your palms before you felt a gaze on you. Looking down, you saw two little boys staring back at you, their eyes wide with innocence and confusion.

“Nee-chan! Do you play basketball?”

Feeling your lips curve slightly, you nodded. “I used to, but I don’t anymore.”

Both boys look at each other before looking back at you. “Why don’t you play anymore?”

“It’s.. complicated…”

“What’s so complicated? Don’t you like basketball?”

This question caused your eyes to widen. Did you like basketball? Of course you did! You loved it because it was the reason you got to meet Aomine and the rest of the Miracles. If it wasn’t for basketball, there’s a chance you wouldn’t have met any of them.

“I… I love basketball.”

“So then if you love it, shouldn’t that be enough of a reason to play?”

You felt a tear fall down your face before you gave the boys a big smile. “Of course it is!”

Pulling on your arm, the two boys drag you with them towards the court, “So then let’s play!”

You couldn’t stop the laughter escaping your lips as you were being dragged across the pavement. They looked to be around grade six with their height and when their friends saw you, they all cheered happily and welcomed you to play with them.

The rest of the night flew by and not once did you think about Aomine.

* * *

After the group of kids left, they entrusted you with the basketball they played with. You couldn’t take your eyes off the orange ball as you began to dribble it on the court. The feel was familiar and you couldn’t stop the smile from leaving your lips as you continued to dribble. 

Pretty soon, you felt your legs run as you imagined you were in a real game and you started dodging invisible players. The basket was just ahead and you did a quick spin before placing your feet firmly on the ground as your arms extended and the ball flew out of your hands and landed right in the hoop.

Your eyes widened as your gaze went from the basket to your hand. You felt so elated and peaceful, as though you hadn’t stopped playing. Everything felt so natural and as you continued to practice, you realized your body had never forgotten how to play.   
  
And right then, you knew your answer.

_‘I’m gonna start playing again. But I’ll need someone to teach me. If I want to beat Aomine.’_

Suddenly, two males appear in your mind and without realizing it, your phone was already against your ear, waiting for the person on the other line to pick up. You were about to hang up, realizing how late it was before a voice rang on the other end.

_“____cchi! It’s been a long time! Is there something I can do for you?”_

Taking a deep breath, you felt your eyelids open as you spoke,

“I need your help… Ryouta.”


	3. You always protected me, but I couldn't protect you.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Asking two of your friends permission to train seems like an easy task, but one likes to make it a TAD difficult.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the next chapter! Not much else to say except, hope you guys like it!

Sighing, you couldn’t help but rub your arms in anticipation. You waited to call Midorima at lunch the following day, as the phone call with Kise went on much longer than anticipated. It took a bit of convincing but you managed to get both boys to meet you here despite them being busy with the Winter Cup. You only hoped everything would go well. The weight of the basketball in your bag felt heavier than before. Of course, quitting the sport itself was a hard challenge and no matter what you said, you knew in your heart you’d never quit.

You were about to reach into your bag when a flash of grey caught your eyes. Your body stiffens when you see his profile from the other side of the gate. Your body begins to quiver in fear, though you try to deny the fear you felt, as you didn’t want this asshole to know you still felt that way about him. You couldn’t let him win, not at a game you were better at, and your breathing began to get choppy and short, as though his hand was wrapped around your throat.

_‘Why is **he** here?’_

* * *

Basketball practice was starting and as usual, Momoi was running around, trying to track down her best friend. She was confused and concerned for both of them and while she should feel more worry for you, a part of her can’t help but worry more about Aomine. 

She wasn’t blind, she saw his reaction to your outburst yesterday against the team. The emotions she was feeling were quite similar, if not the same, to yours as she, too, hated how everyone drifted apart at Teiko. They were so close and bonded outside of basketball. 

Once Akashi had changed and made everything about winning, everything went sour. It didn’t matter to her if they won or not, even though she knew the outcome was going to be the same.

Like you, she often wondered if the rest of the team only chose Aomine because he was what people called a ‘ **monster** ’. She knew the team here at Touou was more about individual skills and rarely worked as a team. 

While she felt it was a repeat of Teiko, there were some differences between the two. The major one being Aomine didn’t rely on anyone to help him. He didn’t try to bond with the rest of the team, choosing to stick with herself and _____ but everyone else was nothing to him.

But what made her seek her childhood friend out was the sadness he kept hidden beneath his harsh frown. He seemed more frustrated and angry at practice than usual and the only time she’d ever seen him like that was back in Teiko. 

When she got to the roof, she was surprised to see him sitting up, his arms wrapped around his left leg as he sat there, staring into space. Despite being outside, the air was thick with tension and Momoi swore she sensed another emotion mixed in but was unable to identify it. This made her frown, as she turned her eyes to the ground, unable to handle seeing her best friend like this.

“Satsuki… Is that you?”

Blinking, she looks up to see Aomine’s navy blue hues staring at her. She bit back the gasp as she took a good look at her friend, the look of loneliness was practically screaming at her. She wanted to run to him and give him a hug. 

But they weren’t children anymore and he continuously told her, with a frown, to **never** touch him.

“Hai.. I wanted to come see if you were…" _Alright? Coming to practice?_ What can I say that won’t irritate him?

He chuckles, the laugh foreign and unrecognizable to her ears, as he turns his eyes back to the streets. He seems to be in his own world, lost in whatever thoughts running through his mind, and seeing this was new to Momoi. She’d never seen her friend like this ever, and the only thought that came to her mind was,

_'It’s all because of you.. ____-chan.’_

"Satsuki… You worry too much.”

She could feel the anger surface a bit before she pouted, “Well someone has to worry about you! You don’t seem to care about anything else besides basketball!”

“Well… There is one other thing I cared about, probably more than basketball.”

Momoi could hear the hidden meaning behind his statement, and as much as she wanted to ask if it was you, she chose to go a different route instead.

“Aomine-kun?”

…

“When did you and _____-chan get together?”

A brief silence occurred between the two before his words rang through her mind.

“Last year.”

* * *

_Things had been rough since the coach changed at Teiko. You start to notice Akashi’s mood change drastically and he sent shivers down your spine each time he glanced at you. You hid this because you didn’t want anyone to know you felt uncomfortable around the captain and make things worse. Still, your feelings towards the ace of the team never wavered, despite his sudden change in personality. You couldn’t stop the worry from rising to your chest when you first heard Aomine wasn’t expected to show up at practice._

_So long as he played in games and they won, both Akashi and the coach didn’t care._

_It was around the time he stopped his one-on-one games with you, which made the loneliness grow in your heart._

_You decided to wait for Aomine’s class to end, though a small part of you was wondering if he’d left early as he’s been doing so recently. You were about to walk away from his locker when a hand grabs you and forces you against the cold, metallic door. Gasping, you felt the air rush out of your lungs as you turned your head to see Haizaki Shogo looming over your small form. A sinister grin on his face as his eyes pierced yours, preventing you from escaping._

_“Ha? If it isn’t _____-chan.~ What are you doing around here?”_

_Giving the best glare, despite the circumstances, you scoffed before attempting to look away from his hungry gaze, clenching your hand tightly to calm the shaking._

_“It’s none of your business. Why are you still here? I thought you were suspended.”_

_He clicks his tongue before licking his lips. “Well, it seems you’re the only girl in this shit hole I haven’t gone out with. What do you say we go out on a date? I’ll show you a good time.”_

_Feeling repulsed, you scoff, “No thanks. I don’t want what every other girl has touched. I already told you, I’m not interested. I don’t know how many times I have to say it before you figure it out.”_

_Gripping your face in his hand, he forced your eyes to look at him, his expression angry. “Out of all the girls, I gotta say, you’re the most intriguing ____-chan. You’re the only one who hasn’t shown interest in any of the boys at this school, including the ones on the basketball team. Unless… There **is** a boy you’re trying to go after?”_

_Attempting to free yourself, you try to kick him, only to feel his legs tangle with yours, effectively trapping them. He always pissed you off, and yet, you were still powerless to stop him if he tried anything. All the other girls in this school hated/feared him and the boys were just as useless when it came to fighting him. The only boys who could stop him were the small knit group that were deemed prodigies, but they were at practice and there’s no way they’d know you were in trouble._

_“Ha. You’re just like the rest of them. They all attempt to fight me first but in the end they all end up getting fucked by me. Trust me darling, you’re just like the rest of those whores.”_

_His hand tightens its grip on your face and you could feel his nails digging into your cheek, eliciting a small cry from your throat. Despite feeling the pain in your face, you still managed to glare at him, forcing your body to be stiff and unresponsive to his advances. You attempt once more to kick him in the shin, but he trapped your other leg, pressing himself completely against your body._

_“No one’s gonna stop me. So you should surrender yourself to me.”_

_“Like hell I will! I’m not going out with you! So for the last time, back off Haizaki!”_

_He releases your head only to strike you across the same cheek he’d dug his nails into. You could feel the tears burning in the back of your eyelids, but you refuse to let them fall. You weren’t going to give him the satisfaction of seeing you cry. This guy was only feeling anger towards everyone associated with Kise because he was replaced._

_Since you were a close friend of his, of course he would try to get with you out of spite. But that wasn’t the boy you had your eyes on. And you didn’t want to give him any more ammunition to use against the basketball team. So you’d keep your feelings secret, to protect the one you like._

_“You’re in no position to give me attitude. You can’t even defend yourself.”_

_Growling, you glare at him before slapping him across the cheek._

_“At least I wasn’t replaced! It was pretty low what you did, going after Ryouta’s girlfriend. You have no respect and you’re a disgrace to basketball! I’m glad Akashi kicked you off!”  
_

_That last sentence sealed your fate. But you weren’t going down without fighting. This asshole wasn’t going to push you around and you were going to make sure of that._

_“You bitch. Why don’t I just deal with you right now?”_

_Releasing your body, you attempt to run but his arm stretches out, grabbing your arm and harshly yanking it as he walked down the hall. You continued to struggle, unsure if anyone was around to hear. Even if the teachers tried helping, none of them could handle Haizaki._

_You were alone._

_Deciding he’d had enough, Haizaki turns his body towards you, his presence menacing. Before you could blink, his hand collides with your other cheek, a gasp escaping your dry throat as the force from his hand sends you backwards. You almost crashed to the ground but tan arms wrap around your waist and held you against a solid chest. Before you could say anything, you were placed gently against the window, your backpack and Aomine’s in your arms before he turned his attention to the grey-haired male._

_“Back off and leave ____ alone, piece of shit. Just because she doesn’t want to go out with you doesn’t give you the right to beat her. She wouldn’t go out with a lowlife like you. So get lost before I throw you out this window.”_

_A chuckle escaped his lips, “HA. You’re one to talk Daiki. Just showing up out of the blue, attempting to be a knight in shining armour. You’re all bark and no bite. You’d never hit me, and even if you could, you’d be kicked off the basketball team. You can’t even protect your friends properly and yet you shout threats at me? You’re truly an idiot.”_

_Your eyes widened when you saw Aomine bear his teeth in anger. You knew he wanted to go after that piece of shit but you didn’t want him getting kicked off the team. Even if he was trying to protect you, it wasn’t worth him losing everything he had. You weren’t going to let that happen._

_Instinctively, you reach out and grab his hand, yanking his body closer to yours. You attempt to plead with him with your eyes, his expression soften slightly._

_'Please don’t attack him. Not for me.’_

_Growling, he kept his eyes on you but addresses Haizaki. “Get the fuck out of here before I change my mind. If you come near ____ again, I won’t hesitate to kick your ass.”_

_He was about to retort, but Aomine sends him a death glare and he scoffs before turning away, leaving the two of you alone. Cursing under his breath, Aomine bent down so he was your height and assesses your face. It was a bit swollen where he hit you and there was a thin red line from when his nail dug into your skin. But otherwise, everything else was fine. You could see the anger in his eyes, but there was a hint of regret mixed in, along with helplessness._

_He was blaming himself for your bruises._

_He took a deep breath to calm himself down before he looked into your eyes, “Are you okay, _____?”_

_Scoffing, you gave Aomine a punch in the arm, a look of endearment in your eyes. “Don’t give me that look, Aomine-kun. You didn’t know I was going to wait for you. Besides, I got some hits in too. If anyone asks, I’ll just say I tripped. They don’t have to know. I can take care of myself.”_

_While your voice sounds convinced, you knew your mind was far from it. You were relieved Aomine showed up when he did, but you didn’t want him to know you were scared. Aomine has his own problems to deal with, adding yours onto his is something you weren’t going to do._

_Taking a deep breath, you felt yourself getting irritated with that defeated look on his face._

_“Look, it was a good thing you didn’t go after him. If you did, they would’ve kicked you off the team. I’m not gonna be the reason you are forced to quit something you enjoy. I’m not that selfish. Now let’s go. If you’re feeling guilty about it, you can at least buy me a drink.”_

_As you stood, you felt your legs go numb from the fear and before you could blink, you were once again in Aomine’s arms. Cursing under your breath, you gasp when both his hands cup your face, his thumbs rubbing your cheeks gently to try and soothe the pain, before his lips captured yours in a sweet kiss. A different shiver went down your spine from earlier and you shudder against his lips before responding to his gentle touch._

_You couldn’t kiss him for long, due to your throat being dry, but he pulls away before you do, and presses a gentle kiss to your forehead. There weren’t any words to say. He turns around, bending down in front of you, and gestures towards his back. Not having the strength to argue, you could feel the heat rush to your cheeks as you climb onto his back, wrapping your arms around his neck, before leaning your head on his shoulder._

_As much as you want to ask, the words die in your throat. Despite not knowing if you were officially together, what mattered was having him in your life. There’d be lots of time later to ask what the two of you were. For now, you would enjoy the kindness he was showing you, because you really didn’t know how long it was going to last._

* * *

The feeling of pressure jolts you from your thoughts and you turn your head around to see Kise and Midorima standing there, frowns on their faces. Both of them saw Haizaki walking by the basketball court and found themselves running towards you, in an attempt to scare him off. It seemed to have worked because when your turned your attention back to where he was, he was no longer there.

Breathing a sigh of relief, you gave both of them a smile. “Thank you.”

Kise gave you a smile while Midorima pushed his glasses up with his finger. “It’s not a problem. I was wondering why Haizaki was starting to head over here. But I’m assuming that’s not what you were wanting from us, is it _____?”

Shaking you head, you take a deep breath, “I didn’t expect to see him over here. But you’re right, Midorima-kun. That’s not why I called you two here. Actually, I’m hoping both of you will consider helping me, though I completely understand if you say no, with the Winter Cup around the corner.”

Ruffling your hair, Kise smiles, “Nonsense ! I always have time for ____cchi! We may go to different schools, but that doesn’t mean we can’t hang out! Though you may have to explain this request of yours to my captain. Kasamatsu-senpai can be scary if I miss lots of practice.”

Laughing, you gave him a look, “Well I’m glad to hear you’re close with your senpai. Don’t worry, I’ll explain the reason you hardly show up to practice, that’s if you agree to help me.”

Taking a deep breath, you focused your serious expression on the two basketball players in front of you. “I want you guys to help me with basketball.”

To say both of them were shocked was an understatement. They didn’t know many details, but they knew you’d chosen to quit last year. They, along with Kuroko and Momoi, tried convincing you to keep playing but you were stubborn and refused. Both boys looked at each other before looking back at you, speechless.

“I know you guys are shocked, and you’re super busy with your own training. But I made up my mind. I’m going to continue playing. It’ll take me a bit to get back into it, which is why I want you two to help me. I’ve never been good at throwing threes and I want to increase my agility.”

“I can see why you’d come to me about shooting threes, but if you wanted to increase agility, shouldn’t you be asking Aom-”

“No.” The firm tone in your voice shocked both boys once again, “I can understand why you’d suggest that, Midorima-kun. But Ryouta is quite good at agility too. I watched the match between him and Aomine. If there’s anyone else I can ask to train me, it’d be him.”

“If I may ask, ____-cchi, what made you change your mind?”

Sighing, you began tossing the ball in your hands. “To be honest, I’m not really sure. Last night, a group of boys asked me to play with them. I tried refusing, but when they asked me if I loved basketball, I didn’t hesitate with my answer. These boys were having so much fun, and they’re younger than us, that I decided to play with them. For the first time in a while, I was able to play with a smile.”

Both boys remained silent as you continued, “I guess, the reason I told myself I was quitting was because I saw how badly affected all of you were when all you did was win. It broke my heart to see us drift because the motto was to win.”

You stop, staring at them, “Kuroko’s words rung through my mind last night again and I was able to understand what he meant. What is the point in victory if you don’t smile after? I was scared I would end up like you guys, so I disconnected myself away from it before I felt the loneliness.”

You sigh, scratching the back of your head out of habit, “But then I realized after a while, I felt more lonely not having the sport that brought us together. I really have to thank those children for this. They helped me see what I truly missing out on. I guess they saw how happy I was because they let me keep the basketball we played with.”

“I see. So by asking us to help you, it would improve your accuracy and shots. Not only that, you want to keep this a secret from Aomine. But wouldn’t he learn of this from Momoi-san? Surely she’d tell him right?”

“Actually… I haven’t told her either. You two are the only ones who know. I’m sure Kuroko has figured it out because he knows me too well. But I don’t want either of them knowing. It’s kinda why I’m skipping out on practice.”

Both saw the determination in your eyes, and knew you were serious. When you had your mind set, there was no going back. And both were happy to see the old you starting to surface.

“I may not be able to help you practice everyday, but I can try. Unfortunately, I can’t today as coach is determined to make us work. But you can give me a call to set up a time. I look forward to helping you _____.”

Bowing, you gave him a smile, “Thank you, Midorima-kun. I’ll definitely be in touch.”

Sighing, Ryouta gave a small pout, “Don’t forget about me ____-cchi! I’m still here!~”

Laughing, you directed your gaze on the blonde. “I haven’t forgotten about you Ryouta. You’ve just been unusually quiet today. Have you been thinking again?”

“When ____cchi says that, I swear you’re making fun of me.”

Wrapping your arms around your best friend, you muttered, “I’m sorry Ryouta. I know it’s a lot to ask considering the Winter Cup is around the corner. But I’d be very grateful if you could help me.”

Returning your hug, he smiled, “What are best friends for? Of course I’ll help you! Like I said, you have to explain to my captain why I’m not showing up at practice though! I don’t want to hear him yell at me for helping out a friend.”

Nodding, you couldn’t stop the smile from gracing your lips, “I’ll be more than willing to explain everything to your captain. Did you want to do it right now? I’m sure they’d be at practice right?”

Midorima sighs, causing both of you to look at him, “If we’re going to be doing this, you two should start right away. We don’t have much time.”

“That is true. If I heard correctly, Aominecchi is versing Kurokocchi first. So we don’t have a lot of time to be wasting.”

“Alright then. Ryouta, lead the way!”

* * *

When both of you reach Kaijo High, you were greeted by an angry-looking Kasamatsu. His arms were crossed, a frown etched on his face, as though he wanted to hit Kise for being late. When he saw the Touou uniform on you, he looks at Kise with a raised eyebrow.

“Oh right! Kasamatsu-senpai! This is ____cchi! We went to Teiko together! You’ll like her!”

You bowed, “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Kasamatsu-senpai. I’m ______.”

He gives you a small smile before extending his hand, “Likewise, ____-san. I’m Kasamatsu Yukio.”

Returning his hand shake, you notice the rest of the team look at you with wary expressions before returning your gaze to the captain.

“I apologize for making Ryouta late. I know I’m from a different school, but I have a request. It may seem unreasonable to you, including your coach, but I wanted to ask you specifically, despite him already agreeing.”

You watch as Kasamatsu’s expression went serious again, in a professional manner, something you weren’t quite used to. “I’m glad you decided to come here and ask me directly. But what does a friend of Kise’s, a friend from Touou Academy, want with him?”

Sighing, you decided it was best to be upfront with the captain. Though you left out specific details, you still felt the need to explain a bit of your past to this man.

“When we were in our final year at Teiko, I stopped playing. I didn’t see the point in playing anymore. It wasn’t as exciting and fulfilling as it used to be and it took too much energy out of me. However, recently my way of thinking has changed and I realized just how much I miss playing.” You pause to take a breath, “I have a goal I wish to achieve but in order to do so, I need to train. I already asked Midorima-kun of Shutoku for his assistance, but I need two members of the Generation of Miracles for this goal. Ryouta is the only one I can truly count on. I know about his ankle, and I promise to make sure he doesn’t overwork himself. I’ll beat him if I see he’s hurting, but I would be truly happy if he could miss a few of his practices to help me.”

You stop, taking in everyone’s expressions before meeting Kasamatsu’s once more, “I’m not asking you to let me have him for the entire time, since I know the Winter Cup is around the corner. But if I could use his assistance for two times a week, I’d be really grateful Kasamatsu-senpai.”

At the end of your statement, you bowed, causing all the members, including the coach, to look at you in shock. Never has anyone sounded so serious and be so polite about a request before. 

Kasamatsu looks at their coach, who sighs but nods before telling everyone else to go back to work. He turns his attention back to you, his eyes soft but serious.

“To be honest, I’ve never had someone request a favour so politely before.” This caused you to look up at him, eyes wide. “Since you’ve been so kind and polite, I will accept your request. If I said no, I’m sure Kise would whine and complain.”

“That’s not true!”

“That aside,” both of you turn your attention back to the captain, “We expect him to be at the Winter Cup, so my only request is you make sure he doesn’t hurt his ankle any more than what it is. We can’t have him sit out the entire Cup, especially since the rest of the Miracles will be there.”

“Of course! I’d never allow Ryouta to hurt himself. I’ll make sure he takes it easy. You have my word.”

A smile appeared on the edge of his lips before he looked at Kise, “I expect you to listen to ____-san. If she tells me you’ve been overworking yourself, I will make sure the rest of the season will be a nightmare for you. _____-san is your senpai now.”

“B-But I’m older than _____cchi! Why is she my senpai?”

Smacking the back of his head, Kasamatsu glared, “Because she’s more mature than you. It takes a lot of courage to come to another captain and request a favour. Especially from a rival school. I’m only letting this slide because you are friends and she’s very polite. Now get going before I change my mind!”

Bowing, you gave a big smile towards the black-haired captain, “Thank you so much Kasamatsu-senpai! I promise he’ll be in good hands!”“

With that, you dragged a crying Kise with you towards the basketball courts, eager to start training.

* * *

Ditching your jackets, both you and Kise get into stances, facing against each other in a one-on-one. The ball bounced between your hand, your gaze focused on the player in front of you. You remembered Kise’s ability to copy any technique and change it slightly to fit his style of basketball. But you weren’t too scared as your movements were basic, so he’d already know how to block. Yet, you still found yourself dribbling the ball to the left, attempting to do a spin and releasing the ball from your fingers, but Kise blocks it with ease.

His height was definitely a factor for the easy block, but you didn’t feel discouraged. This was always an issue when you faced Aomine in a one-on-one. That’s why you wanted to focus on shooting threes better, so you’d have a better advantage from a distance.

”___cchi, if you want to get a basket, you’re gonna have to do better than that!“

Scoffing, you gave him a smirk, "Obviously. I forgot what it’s like to play against you guys. But still, just because people say you’re a prodigy doesn’t mean you should get a thick head.”

Before Kise could blink, you switched gears and bounced the ball between his legs, quickly running behind him to catch the ball and managing to get a basket. Wiping the small bit of sweat from your forehead, you looked at him, who almost gawked at you, before shooting another smirk his way.

“That was awesome, ____cchi! How’d you learn that?”

Bouncing the ball once again, you shrugged, “It’s not a special move. A few of the children I played against yesterday did the same thing. They definitely had the energy to bounce around. Besides, it made me realize that just because you’re all taller than me, doesn’t mean a short person can’t be of use on the court. In fact, shorter people have the advantage when it comes to sneaking between players. If they time their movement right.”

Scoffing, Kise also wore a smirk on his face, “You don’t say. Well, I shouldn’t hold back on you then.”

Getting ready to charge, you looked at him, “I never intended on letting you. I want to see what you can truly do.”

His body relaxed into a comfortable stance as he narrowed his eyes, “Try to get past me now.”

* * *

After about half hour or so, you felt extremely exhausted, while Kise stood there, panting but not entirely uncomfortable. Wiping the sweat from your forehead with your shirt, you quickly grabbed a bottle of water from your bag, almost chugging the liquid down. Exhaling, you turned your eyes to your best friend, who kept a content smile on his face.

“I gotta say ____cchi. For someone who’s starting back up again, you’re pretty good. You may not be as good as the rest of us, but you’re definitely on par with Kasamatsu-senpai. Just don’t tell him I said that, okay?”

Laughing, you gently punched his shoulder, “Of course I won’t. I don’t need to hear men whine about a girl being better than them. I heard enough of that in middle school.”

Pouting, he whined, “_____ is so mean!~”

Rolling your eyes, you scoffed, “Come on now, Ryouta. Surely you know I’m joking.”

Seeing his goofy expression right away made a small smile appear on your face. “Of course I do! ______cchi is one of the few people who actually laughs at my jokes. You don’t get upset with me the way everyone else does.”

Shrugging, you chose to sat on the bench, “It’s because you’re Ryouta. If it was anyone else, I’d probably feel annoyed. But I know this is how you are. And I’m happy basketball hasn’t completely changed you.”

There was a weird look in his eyes, one you couldn’t place, before he chose to sit beside you on the bench. He rested his hands on his knees, before turning his golden eyes to you.

“I’m sorry about how Aomine-kun treated you.”

This caused his eyes to widen before a frown replaced his smile. “Why are you apologizing for that? Did you see the the match between us?”

You nodded. “I snuck in, as I didn’t want to be noticed. I just… I felt I should apologize to you because I did the same for Kuroko and Kagami-kun. You know as much as me he never used to be like that. Even if another team lost, he still shook their hand. But all he did was look down on the both of you. It really upset me that I couldn’t do anything about it. I didn’t know he’d be so cold to you guys, despite being close with you.”

“But ______cchi, it’s not your fault. Yes, I did feel hurt and betrayed by his words, but thanks to Kasamatsu-senpai, I feel much better. Besides, that’s why I’m getting stronger, so I can win against Aominecchi next time!”

You felt the small smile curl the edge of your lip. Of course Kise didn’t give up, much like Kuroko and Kagami. If anything, losing only hardened their resolve to get stronger. You really did have great friends.

“Thank you, Ryouta.”

He blinked, his eyebrow raised in confusion. “Eh? What for ____cchi?”

Shaking your head, you look at him, and he gasps when he saw the smile reach your eyes. It has been a while since he’s seen you genuinely happy. You turned your eyes to the court, before a sigh escaped your lips.

“I’m really happy you and Kuroko chose to go to good schools.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“I mean, I’m glad both of you work so well with your teams. Both of you have respectable captains who not only want to win, but want to win together. You guys have teams that enjoy playing the sport because you like it. You guys don’t just play to win. And when you guys lose, your teams pick you up and encourage you to be stronger. That’s how it used to be at Teiko until things went to shit.”

You sigh, looking up at the sky, “To be honest, when we were graduating, I made a wish that everyone would find teams that would appreciate your talents but not abuse them. While it seems everyone’s captains depend on you guys to win, they also realize they can’t solely rely on your strength alone. I just… I feel better knowing you have seen things Kuroko’s way, despite having your own style. That’s why I’ll continue to cheer for Kuroko to win against all of you. Because I truly want his way of basketball to win.”

Standing up, you sighed before looking at Kise, your heart feeling more light. It made you feel better to have someone listen to you without calling you out as weak. It’s been so long since you’ve had a heart to heart like this with Kise and it made you feel happy, elated. As though your relationship got stronger because of this. Stretching your arms, you felt a yawn escape your lips before reaching to grab your bag.

“____cchi. Wait a second.”

Feeling his hand on yours, you blink before he pulls you into a hug. You were used to his behaviour as he always did this, even back in middle school. But there was a feeling in your gut that told you it was different this time. You didn’t know what it was but you needed the hug, and you felt yourself lean into his embrace, his scent overriding your senses. How long had it been since Aomine hugged you like this? You couldn’t remember and this thought alone made you confused. Why was Kise making you think about Aomine?

He rests his head on yours, his grip tightening as you felt his heart beat gently. A smile graced your lips as the warmth from his body engulfed yours and somehow made all your restless thoughts disappear. He always seemed to have this affect on you, but this was the first time you truly noticed it.

Was it because your mind was always focused on Aomine and how you imagined him doing this?

Pulling away, Kise gives you a big smile before ruffling your hair. His hand was so gentle against your skin and it made you feel warm. This definitely made you feel protected and safe, like the way a brother would comfort you.

“I like you, ____cchi.”

Holding his hand in yours, you gave him the biggest smile you could, feeling very happy at his words. “I like you too, Ryouta.”

Shaking his head, he sighs before his expression changes, and you couldn’t read his eyes anymore.

“No. I mean, I really like you, _____cchi. More than you think.”

Despite the sun beating down on the two of you, you couldn’t feel the warmth it radiated. Instead, you felt as though someone doused you in ice cold water as you tried to register your best friend’s words.

_'He really… likes me? Ryouta-kun likes me more than a friend?’_


	4. You were hurting, but I never noticed it hidden behind blue eyes

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Ne, Aomine-kun. Maybe you’re looking at the situation wrong.”
> 
> “What do you mean Satsuki? You heard all those things she said in the gym! Not to mention everything I told you beforehand. Don’t tell me you think I’m lying?”
> 
> “Of course I don’t think that Aomine-kun! But I think you’re not understanding what she’s saying. It’s obvious she still loves you. ____-chan isn’t the type to just say things without meaning it. She defended you in the gym because she didn’t want to see you hurt anymore. Do you honestly think she’d leave you for her benefit? Of course she wouldn’t, because she’s not like that! _____-chan has never done things for herself. You, of all people, should know this best.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's the next chapter! Now, before anyone points out that Kasamatsu is slightly OOC... Let's just say, when I was writing this, I kept some of his nervous habits.. BUT, I wanted to write him where he was the dependable senpai we see in KNB. Regardless if he's dealing with females or not.. And I always felt, with this story, Reader was one of those special girls where Kasamatsu could overlook his nervous habit because you were easy to get along with.. You'll see more in chapter 5!

The streets of Tokyo were barren by the time Aomine left Touou Academy. Instead of heading to practice with Momoi, he chose to stay on the roof, lost in the conversation he had with his best friend. He wonders why some of the things she said struck a nerve but he figures it was because he was irritated already. Still, he couldn’t deny the dull ache in his chest as his mind wandered back to a few hours ago.

_“Ne, Aomine-kun. Maybe you’re looking at the situation wrong.”_

_Blinking, a sigh escapes his lips, his eyes narrow at the pink-haired girl. He’d just explained the entire situation to Momoi, hoping she’d be able to help him understand your actions. But it seems she didn’t have much to say, or maybe she thought he was too dumb to understand. The thought of being called stupid irritates him. His fingers twitch as he sits there, back straight and blue eyes attentive._

_“What do you mean Satsuki? You heard all those things she said in the gym! Not to mention everything I told you beforehand. Don’t tell me you think I’m lying?”_

_Shaking her head, Momoi placed her hands on her hips, “Of course I don’t think that Aomine-kun! But I think you’re not understanding what she’s saying. It’s obvious she still loves you. ____-chan isn’t the type to just say things without meaning it. She defended you in the gym because she didn’t want to see you hurt anymore. Do you honestly think she’d leave you for her benefit? Of course she wouldn’t, because she’s not like that! _____-chan has never done things for herself. You, of all people, should know this best.”_

_Aomine saw the intense emotions within Momoi’s eyes. She’d only give that look if she was dead serious, and her actions didn’t hint at lying either. He definitely saw the hurt in her eyes, and this made his stomach flop._

_‘Has Satsuki been in just as much pain?’_

_Sighing, he ruffled his hair, attempting to distract his twitching fingers, “I really didn’t want to end things with her… The words just slipped out. I was so angry seeing her with that bastard Kagami and Tetsu, I ended up lashing out on her. When she left me alone, I somehow managed to walk my ass home but I couldn’t stop thinking about her words. It was as though she was trying to hint at something. Of course, it didn’t hit me until I got home. We weren’t together any more. I got so angry, I ended up punching a hole in my wall, which made mom ground me for a week. This entire time I’ve been replaying that scene in my head, as though I was reliving it. I still don’t understand and I think that’s what’s making me so angry.”_

_This confession made Momoi widen her eyes and her breath hitched slightly. She hasn’t seen Aomine this open with his thoughts since middle school. But it was to be expected with everything happening this past week. He may act as though nothing’s wrong, but both Momoi and you were able to see through his lie. You guys chose to keep silent, to preserve his pride. But if he’s the one actually coming to her about it, he must be that lost._

_It’s been a while since she’s seen this defeated look, and it made her heart crack._

_Taking a deep breath, Momoi approached Aomine before slapping him across the head._

_“What the fuck Satsuki? Why’d you hit me?!”_

_“You need to snap out of this funk, Aomine-kun! Thinking about this situation won’t fix it. You need to go and talk with ____-chan again! How do you expect to get anything done if you just sit around? Since you’re not coming to practice, I’ll force you to fix this. You’re not the only one hurting right now and you need to explain this to ____-chan! If you don’t act soon, who knows what’s going to happen?”_

_Stomping her foot, Momoi huffed before leaving the roof, leaving a very confused Aomine behind._

* * *

Shaking his head, he frowned. His head ached from thinking about this too much. Maybe he was dumb. Not many people would honestly have to take this long to think about a situation. Some things made sense to him, but just when he thought he was starting to understand, other questions came up, leaving him more confused than before. He tightened his grip on his bag before feeling his body come to a complete stop.

There you stood, hair blowing gently in the breeze, with Kise, who had his arms wrapped around you in a hug. It was as though time stopped for him, mocking him with this scene. He couldn’t see your face, but he definitely noticed Kise’s calm and serene expression. He was about to run over towards the two of you when Kise’s eyes opened, looking directly at him, keeping him frozen in place. His golden yellow eyes narrowed slightly, as though blaming him for the reason he was hugging you, but it was hard for Aomine to read.

But he ended up pulling away from you, a smile on his face as he ruffled your hair. For some reason, this made Aomine angry. He couldn’t see your face so he was unable to tell if you were smiling back at him. But he figured there was a smile of some sort on your face. After all, what girl didn’t smile at Kise?

And then, he spoke.

_'I like you, _____-cchi.’_

_**Crack**_.

And just like that, Aomine found himself running the other direction. He didn’t hear what you had to say, and this was for the better anyway.

_'It doesn’t hurt… It doesn’t hurt… It doesn’t-’_

A tear slipped from his eye, hitting his sleeve. Frowning, he hastily wiped the stain from his face before shaking his head, another sigh escaping his lips. His legs carried him from the scene, his mind somewhere else completely. In the end, he knew the truth. Every girl flocked to Kise, and he should’ve known better than to think you were unfazed by him. He told himself it was okay because he never did say you were in a relationship, but the empty feeling only increased at the thought. He definitely wasn’t okay with Kise winning your heart, but if you were happy, it should be enough to satisfy him.

He was stupid to think he could actually care for you.

He still remembers the kiss he shared with you just the day before. Why didn’t he say anything to you before leaving? Instead, he left you to sit alone, confused and heartbroken. Maybe it was to satisfy his own selfish needs. He needed to know you felt as dull and lifeless as himself, but he was naive to think you would take that without feeling something. After all, you stuck by his side since Teiko, and Momoi did say you would do things for other people.

Did you break up to protect him?

If that was true, why did it hurt so much? Seeing you with Kise, unable to read your face, it made him completely lost. It didn’t even occur to him you were standing on a basketball court, something that should’ve crossed his mind as you did throw in his face you stopped playing because of him. Yet, that didn’t even bother him as much as it should have. What did bother him was not knowing you response, but in the end, he was too much of a coward and he chose to run.

When it came to basketball, the only one who could beat Aomine was him.

But when it came to the heart, you had beaten him years ago.

* * *

You couldn’t stop staring at Kise, his words echoing through your mind. Was it that much of a shock to hear he liked you that much? It honestly shouldn’t have surprised you, considering how close the two of you were. But for some reason, it hurt your heart to know he did feel that way.

Is it because no one could replace Aomine?

You didn’t know what to say, and you didn’t want to hurt him. But you knew you couldn’t accept his feelings. It wouldn’t be right to use Kise to get over Aomine. It’s just..

You were about to speak when he spoke, “It’s okay, ____cchi. You don’t have to say anything.”

Those words sent a piercing pain through your heart. It sounded as though he’d just accepted the fact you would never return his feelings, as though he was testing you to see where your heart lies.

This made you angry.

“Ryouta, I do love you! Just not in the way you want me to. I wish I could return those feelings because it’d be so much simpler, but I can’t. It’d feel as though I’m lying to myself, along with you and Daiki… I can’t do that. I won’t hurt you.”

He could see the tears threatening to spill from your eyes, and he tightens his hold on your hand, quickly grasping the other to prevent you from hiding your face. You were ashamed for putting him in this position, and before you knew it, you couldn’t stop the tears from falling before he pulled you against his chest. At this point, the tears wouldn’t stop falling and your body shook in grief as you cried your pain into your best friend’s embrace.

“I-I’m sorry!” You gasped, “I-I’m really sorry, Ryouta!”

Pressing a kiss to your temple, he rubbed your back, attempting to calm the shaking of your body. Kise didn’t realize how much you’d be keeping hidden from everyone and it hurt him to see you so broken. He knew you were blaming yourself and this angered him. None of this was your fault, and you shouldn’t be apologizing to him or anyone else for wanting to protect yourself.

“It’s fine, ____cchi. You don’t have to apologize.”

“I… I just don’t want to lose you.” you whisper between sobs, trying to explain just how broken you’d be if you lost your best friend. Just how much more selfish can you be?

“You’re not going to lose me. I won’t leave you, ____cchi. Don’t you think if I was going to, I would’ve done so already?”

Those words struck a nerve in your heart, dulling the ache within. Your sobs quieted down as you gazed into golden eyes, your eyes wide. When he realized your sobs stopped, he smiled.

“Remember, I’m not mature enough to let this go. In all honesty, if I was mature, I’m sure I would be yelling at you for loving Aominecchi. But all I can see is my best friend broken and confused. And I hate seeing someone so strong this way. So, you don’t have to worry about our relationship or about being selfish. Because the truth is, I’m just as selfish for keeping you with me. You really need to find a way to fix this with that idiot, before he goes and assumes something else.”

The last sentence confuses you, but you could feel your body calm down at the rest of his words. Rubbing your eyes against your sleeve, you couldn’t stop the blush from hitting your cheeks. You’d never felt this embarrassed in your life, breaking down and crying like a baby to your best friend. You hadn’t expected that to happen, it was as though your mind said 'enough’ and chose to do it for you. But when you felt Kise use his sleeve to wipe the remaining tears from your face, you felt yourself laughing.

This caused him to raise an eyebrow before you smiled sheepishly, “Sorry. I must seem like a baby, just breaking down like that. I didn’t even mean to keep you this long either. I really will have to watch what I do when I’m around you.”

He pouts, “What’s that supposed to mean? Besides, it feels nice being able to see you! I feel like it’s been too long. You can take as much time as you want ____cchi. Everyone else can wait.”

Raising an eyebrow, you crossed your arms, “Including your senpai?”

He shrugged, “Kasamatsu-senpai did say you get me twice a week. So technically we can do other things besides playing basketball. We’ll just have to keep it a secret though if we don’t practice.”

This causes a laugh to escape your lips, “You know I can’t keep secrets. I won’t lie to your captain about that!”

Smirking, Kise leans in, “Sounds like someone’s sucking up to Kasamatsu-senpai~”

Punching his arm, you huffed, “I’m not sucking up to your captain, idiot! I just don’t want to betray his trust. Your entire team, including your coach, stared at me as though I would attack them or something. It was quite irritating.”

He laughed, “It’s cause you’re from Touou, and they’re still bitter from losing. Don’t worry, if you show up to my school again, dress in different clothes and they won’t look at you with those eyes. The basketball team isn’t as bad as you think.”

Sighing, you ruffled your hair, contemplating his words. “So are you saying we can practice at your school?”

“Well, I’m not really sure if they’d be okay with it, but I don’t see the harm in trying. Maybe you can even observe our practices. It may help you understand how to shoot three pointers. Also, if you do enough sucking up to Kasamatsu-senpai, I’m sure he’d teach you.”

“I told you I’m not sucking up dammit! Ugh. Why do I waste my breath on you?”

He grinned, “Because ____cchi loves me! And admit it, life would be boring without me!”

Scoffing, you shot him a smirk, “Life would be more quiet without you.”

“____cchi is so mean!~”

Shaking your head, you gave him a smile before hugging him once more,

“Thank you, Ryouta.”

* * *

It had been a rough three days since you’d seen Ryouta. Since it was a Thursday, it left you with one day before the weekend. You decided to take the entire week off school, coming up with a believable excuse. The school didn’t question it because your grades were exceptional and you promised to get Momoi to drop off all notes/homework you’d miss. Of course, explaining the situation to her was a bit of an ordeal in itself.

_'Eh? What do you mean you’ll be missing next week?’_

_Sighing, you ruffled your hair, nervous about how she’d respond. 'It’s just, I need time away, Satsuki-chan. I’m not running from Aomine-kun. It’s just there’s some things that came up and I need to deal with them on my own.’_

_Her eyebrow raised, confusion written on her face. She knew better than to doubt your intentions. If you needed time away, then she had no right to question you. But she still couldn’t help but feel hurt that you weren’t telling her everything._

_'I’m sorry for not being able to help ____-chan. If I’d known sooner, I would’ve helped support you better!’_

_Placing a hand on her shoulder, you smiled, 'It’s okay. It’s my fault for not telling you. But there is one thing you can help me with. See, I told the principle you’d be getting my notes and bringing them to me. If you could, I’d be really grateful!’_

_She nodded, 'Of course, ______-chan! But what about your parents?’_

_'They’re going on a business trip this weekend and won’t be back for a month. That’s why I figured I’d take this week off. At first they were a bit reluctant to go along with it, but after I told them, they agreed provided my grades didn’t slip.’_

_'You have such cool parents, _____-chan. If I asked for a week off, my parents would definitely say no.’_

_You shrugged, 'It’s only because I haven’t missed school in my entire life. They don’t really know what’s going on either. I didn’t want to get into specifics with them but they saw how serious I was, so they didn’t question it.’_

_Laughing, Momoi pulls you into a hug. 'Thanks for telling me, ___-chan. You know I love you right?’_

_Smiling, you returned her embrace, 'Yeah. I love you too Satsuki-chan. And thank you for not questioning me too much. I promise things will make sense when I get back.’_

_You felt her nod before you parted ways, the start of your week beginning._

* * *

In the end, Momoi handled it better than you thought, but you still felt a bit guilty for not telling her. But you were shaken from your thoughts as the ball landed in the hoop.

“If you keep standing there distracted, I’m going to think you’re not serious about training.”

Lightly smacking your face, your eyes narrowed as you got into a defensive position. “Sorry, I really do need your help, Midorima-kun. I didn’t plan on spacing out.”

His green eyes narrowed slightly before he sighed, throwing the ball into your hands. You caught the ball with ease, but you looked at him surprised.

“If you want to beat Aomine, you need to think like him. Even if you do learn how to shoot threes, they can only do so much against a guy like him. You need to learn how to shoot from the air as well as the ground.”

“Shoot three-pointers from the air? How do I do that?”

“It’s all in how your body is positioned. You need to be relaxed but firm. You can’t be tense otherwise there won’t be enough power in your arms to make the shot. Since Aomine is much taller than you, you need to find a way to shoot a three without him being able to block. That’s where thinking like him will come into play. You can only do so much by playing as yourself, nandayo.”

Huffing, you narrowed your eyes before looking at the basket, “Sometimes I wish you’d outright tell me how to do stuff. Being vague doesn’t help.”

Pushing his glasses with his fingers, Midorima looked at you, “If I always gave you the answers, you wouldn’t learn how to do it for yourself. I’m only here to assist you, not do everything for you. What you learn from this will be shown in your basketball skills.”

Groaning, you wiped some sweat from your forehead, “If I didn’t know you, I’d say you’re looking down on me. You’re lucky I can handle criticism and not get offended. If others heard your speech and manners, they’d definitely think you’re calling them stupid.”

“We’re not here to discuss my mannerisms. We’re here to teach you how to play. If you’re not going to practice or take this seriously, I will leave you to learn on your own. Now try again, nandayo.”

Sighing, you took a deep breath before positioning yourself at the half court line. As much as Midorima can be annoying, he had a good point. If you had time to whine about his lack of sympathy, you could use that time to get better. Standing around and complaining wouldn’t make you better or help you understand his words. You just had to take it one day at a time.

This was definitely going to be a long day, you mused as the ball flew from your fingers, sinking into the basket with ease.

* * *

It had been four days since Aomine saw you with Kise, the memory still imprinted in his brain. He’d hardly gotten any sleep, the pain still fresh in his mind. This felt worse than when he had been called a monster in Teiko. Part of him was still angry at Kise, but the other part stubbornly blamed himself for being so stupid in the first place. If he’d been direct about his feelings, he wouldn’t have been in this position. Still, the constant reminder of what he had was starting to take a toll on him.

He chose to frown more than usual, but the intensity of his glare wasn’t there. The teachers would spare worried glances at the ace, but he chose to ignore them, not wanting their sympathy. After all, this was something he wasn’t planning on telling anyone else but Satsuki, who did her best to cheer him up. He would sigh more than normal, his body moving on its own while he zoned out.

_'Shit. If anyone sees me like this, I’ll never hear the end of it.’_

On occasion, he’d see Imayoshi or Wakamatsu in the hall, but he chose to ignore them, instead walking past as though they weren’t there. Even they could tell something was up, but they couldn’t say anything. Not even Sakurai’s cooking could cheer up Aomine.

God he sounded like some lovesick idiot.

It didn’t help you weren’t at school, causing the ace to frown. You’d never missed school your entire life, and suddenly you’re not there? He had asked Satsuki, but she didn’t answer, instead chose to switch subjects. He knew she knew something, but he didn’t know how to ask. Rather, he didn’t want to look like he cared.

Tch. Who was he fooling?

He really did miss you. So much it hurt just to think about anything else. He even tried to play basketball to take his mind off you. But playing only reminded him of the one-on-ones he used to have with you. Everywhere he went, he swore he heard your laugh echoing through his mind, but when he turned around, you weren’t there.

Even now, when he laid on his bed, hands resting behind his head, he couldn’t stop thinking about you. Your [eye colour] eyes, which held so many different emotions at once. Your lips, soft and plush against his. Your laugh, contagious and full of life. Your smile, bright and warm enough to melt away the ice covering his heart. But most importantly, your heart, so big and loving. He missed the way it raced against his chest when he hugged you, your arms wrapped tightly around his waist, and he could feel your breath hit his neck.

Covering his eyes, he grit his teeth in frustration as the tears stubbornly fell against his wishes. He kept the sob in, not wanting to completely submit to the pain in his heart, but he allowed himself to shed a few of those annoying tears. His chest tightened as he managed to flop himself on his stomach, burying his face into the pillows.

Damn. He really was a lovesick idiot. Only, he realized it too late.

* * *

The next day, you found yourself in Kanagawa, though you almost missed the stop. You didn’t head to Kaijo just yet, knowing lunch wasn’t starting for twenty minutes. Instead you found yourself in a convenience store, aimlessly wandering around. Why you chose to go here, you didn’t know. But you found yourself at the magazine section, staring at the covers. There was a variety to look at, but one caught your attention. The basketball monthly was out, and you couldn’t stop yourself from picking it up and flipping through the contents.

You remembered what Kise mentioned last time about showing up in casual clothing, which is why you chose to be in a hoodie, which had rabbit ears on the back. You had your phone in the front pocket, along with your wallet and keys, sunglasses perched on the top of your head. It wasn’t too bright out, but when you left in the morning the sun irritated your eyes. Your hair was in a bun as a few bangs fell in front of your eyes. You wore black jeans, shoes tied up neatly and the laces were tucked into your sneakers. You hoped this is what he meant by casual, because if his team stared at you like that again, you were going to hit them.

Jeez, was Touou really that irritating of a school?

You knew most people there were assholes, but you weren’t one of them. Well, you could be an asshole if you chose to be, but only if people said the wrong things to you. Still, it somehow annoyed you to be lumped in with the rest of the school. Especially since you did help out with managing the basketball team, you didn’t want anyone to feel you were as mean as them.

You didn’t realize the time as you stood there, glaring down at the magazine. You didn’t even remember what you were reading before you heard a voice calling your name and arms wrapping around you, causing you to drop the magazine in your hand.

* * *

**_*five minutes prior*_ **

Sighing, Kise was practically jumping in joy as he headed to the store, Kasamatsu, Kobori, Hayakawa, and Moriyama not too far behind. Kasamatsu could feel the vein in his forehead throb in annoyance as the blond yelled excitingly about eating with his senpais. He was really regretting inviting him to lunch.

“Of course I’m really happy! It’s a nice day! The Winter cup is around the corner, and I have such an awesome best friend! My team is so supportive as well! Why wouldn’t I be happy?”

Kobori smiled before resting a hand on his kouhai’s shoulder, “It’s not that we aren’t excited. It’s just we didn’t think you’d be this happy about lunch.”

“It’s nice to get away from all those girls. I mean, there’s only so much I can handle and I don’t want to be mean to them.”

Kicking the back of his legs, Kasamatsu narrowed his eyes at Ryouta, “You’re too excited idiot. Besides, you seem to act differently around ____-san. Why is that?”

The other three stopped and turned to look at Kise, who sighed and looked up at the sky. “____cchi is different from the others. She’s the first one to actually get to know me as Kise Ryouta. She didn’t care for me being part of the Generation of Miracles or a model. So…” he rubbed the back of his head before turning to his team, a huge smile on his face, “Like I said, you guys will love her! She may go to Touou with Aominecchi, but she’s not the same as them.”

The four members looked at each other before following him into the store. They didn’t know what to expect as they split off, finding what they wanted to eat. Kasamatsu and Kobori followed the blond, not trusting him to be left alone. It was when they bumped into the tall blond, who stopped walking and stared down the aisle, that they realized you were standing there, flipping through a magazine. They both saw Kise’s eyes light up as he practically ran down the aisle, his arms wide open.

“______CCHI!”

They watched with a sweatdrop as he bombarded you, causing the magazine to fall from your hands as he swung you around, rubbing his face against your hair. They were about to open their mouths but Moriyama and Hayakawa joined them to see what the commotion was.

“Hey, isn’t that-?”

Nodding, Kasamatsu rubbed his forehead in annoyance while Kobori gave an uneasy smile to the other two. He could tell Kasamatsu was about to yell at him, but the sound of a smack caused all four to look at the two of you in shock.

“RYOUTA!”

They winced when you slammed your foot on Kise’s, causing him to gasp as he let go of you, your eyes furious and a blush on your cheeks.

“God dammit! Is this how you greet someone in a store? You’re lucky no one else is in here otherwise we’d be kicked out!” bending down to pick up the magazine, you rolled it up before smacking him on the head repeatedly. “You’re such an idiot!”

Grabbing a hold of your legs, he buried his face in your knees as he cried, “_____cchi is so mean!~ I missed you!”

“It’s been five days, Ryouta. Seriously we texted each other last night. My god, you’re in public.”

“I don’t care!~ _____cchi doesn’t love me!”

Taking a deep breath, you finally turned your eyes to see the rest of the basketball team staring at the two of you. Dear god, he brought them all with him? Kneeing him in the chin, you straightened your appearance before glaring at the blond.

“Why are you acting like an idiot in front of your teammates? Seriously, you’re supposed to be more mature than this!”

He gave you a goofy smile ,“It’s because I love _____cchi.”

Grabbing the back of his uniform, you ignored the other four as you practically dragged the blond out of the store. The others chose to stay silent, knowing saying the wrong thing would upset you, and paid for their meals before leaving the store.

* * *

Throwing him onto a bench, you placed a hand on your hip as you kept your attention on the blond. You weren’t sure if you were angry with him or just embarrassed about the entire situation. You assumed it was a mix of both, seeing as you were used to him acting this way but it felt weird when he did this in front of his new team.

Rubbing his cheek, he pouted, “_______cchi is so mean! I’m only trying to show you how much I love you!”

Sighing, you shot him a glare, “Yes, but in front of your teammates? You’re part of Kaijo high now, Ryouta. You need to be more approving of your appearance.”

At this, his expression changed, causing you to raise an eyebrow at him, “You think that just because I go to Kaijo, I’m the same person as before? It’s true I used to look down on people, but since I went here, I’ve started to change, if only a little bit. You can thank Kasamatsu-senpai for that.”

You knew the other four were watching from the bench beside the one you guys currently sat at. But you couldn’t find yourself to care as you spoke,“I don’t care who changed you. I don’t even care why you chose to change. The fact here is, if someone else found out I went to Touou, they’d be thinking bad things about you. I don’t want to be the reason people hate on you.”

He rolled his eyes, “Since when did I care about being hated on?”

Tapping your foot, you could feel the stares of the other four, mostly Kasamatsu, as you yanked Kise by the uniform and forced him to the ground. “You need to apologize to your teammates for embarrassing them in public. You don’t understand that if people start to talk about you, it’ll affect the team. You should never do such childish things while you’re in your school uniform. You’ll give Kaijo a bad name.”

He attempted to look at you, but gulped when he saw your angered expression. Your eyes blazing in anger and while he would’ve questioned it, he chose to keep silent as he bowed his head.

“I’m sorry Kasamatsu-senpai, Kobori-senpai, Moriyama-senpai, and Hayakawa-senpai.”

The four looked at him with wide eyes before looking at you with the same expression. They were shocked at how easily he agreed to do what you said, when he normally goofs around with them. It really does show how much he respects you.

Placing a hand on his shoulder, Moriyama smiled, “It’s okay, Kise. We’re not angry.”

Kobori and Hayakawa nodded in agreement while Kasamatsu stared, a frown on his face. He sighed, “You’re forgiven. Just don’t do that in public again.”

Kise lifted his face and gave them all smiles. When you saw the team staring at you, your hand let go of his jacket, before you held out a hand for him. He blinked before looking at you, his eyes wide.

“Well, are you just gonna sit there on your knees or are we going to eat?”

He couldn’t stop grinning as his hand took yours, before being pulled up from the ground. Lightly dusting off his uniform, you fixed it to how you saw him wear it, including his crooked tie, before pulling out a small bento.

“I thought you’d be hungry, so I came to give it to you.”

Golden eyes blinked, “Where’d that come from?”

Shrugging, you smirked, “I pulled it out of thin air.”

He chose to remain silent and start eating the food you gave him. He thanked you for the food as he practically shoved it in his mouth. You sighed, clenching your hand into a fist. This didn’t go unnoticed by Kasamatsu, who was watching you quietly the entire time.

“You’re not in school, _________-san.”

It was supposed to be a question but came out as a statement. You felt yourself shrug as you looked at the other four, “I needed to get away from there. Besides, if I came to see you guys in my uniform again, I’m sure you’d be staring at me as though I was gonna attack you or something.”

A frown formed on his face as the other three looked at each other, turning their eyes to the ground.

“Ah yeah, I’m sorry for that. We just didn’t -”

“You don’t have to explain your actions, Kasamatsu-senpai. As the captain, it’s your job to worry about your team. Besides, what matters is you trust me to be alone with him. That’s all I need from you guys.”

All four looked at you in shock again. Seriously, were they just not used to being around people who had respect? They make it seem like a big deal that others are considerate of their feelings. You thought Kaijo was filled with respectful people. For some reason this irritated you but you didn’t let it show on your face, instead you chose to sigh.

“Is it really that shocking to you guys? I thought Kaijo was all about respect. I get that people from Touou Academy are usually stuck up and crap, but don’t lump me in with them. My reasons for going there are completely different than everyone else’s. I don’t care for getting praise or recognition. What does irritate me is lack of respect and discipline. Something sadly Touou has. But I still go anyway.”

Kobori noticed the hidden look in your eyes, but chose to look past that for the time being. “So if you don’t like it there, why do you go?”

“I’m sorry, it’s something I’d rather not discuss. Only Ryouta knows the real reason why, besides Kuroko-kun. Just know I have my reasons, and they’re not related in any way towards you or Ryouta. In fact, I’d rather have Touou lose in the Winter Cup.”

Moriyama was the next to spoke up, “So if you don’t like winning, why do you play?”

Sighing, you kept your eyes on the members, noticing that Kise was watching with curious eyes. “Because why not? You don’t always have to win in order to enjoy a sport do you? I chose to stop because I was foolish and believed winning was supposedly everything. That’s what everyone believed at Teiko. But I eventually began to see there’s more to a sport than winning. You shouldn’t be playing just for one reason. In fact, it’s okay to lose because it motivates you to get stronger. It helps you understand the love of the sport you’re playing. Besides, you wouldn’t put so much effort into something without enjoying it. That’s a waste of time. All of you must like or love basketball enough to put this much time and effort in. Those are the true winners.”

Slapping his cheeks in excitement, Hayakawa exclaimed, “OF COULSE! I WOURDN’T BE PRAYING IF I DIDN’T RIKE BASKETBARR!”

You couldn’t stop the laugh from escaping you lips as you smiled, “You see? That’s the enthusiasm I like! I’m sure you all enjoy the sport with the same spirit if not more. That’s something Touou doesn’t have.”

Looking at your phone, you realized they’d have to head back to school right away. A frown formed on your lips as you sighed, scratching the back of your head.

“Well, i guess I should be going.”

“Eh?! ______-cchi do you really have to leave so soon?”

“Well what am I supposed to do around here alone? Just walk around like an idiot?”

Kasamatsu sighed, before rubbing his head. “Well… I have a free period now and then idiot Kise has last slot free. I could always keep you company until he gets off.”

“But doesn’t he have basketball practice?”

“_____cchi can watch us! Right Kasamatsu-senpai?”

Shrugging, he looked at you, “Only if she wants to.”

You smiled at them, nodding, “Sure! I wouldn’t mind.”

The others stood up, giving you small pats on the shoulder, before dragging Kise with them, “Great! We look forward to seeing you at practice ______]!”

“Wait! I want to give ____cchi a hug good bye!”

“Idiot! You’ll see her later!”

“____cchi! I’ll miss you!”

Sighing, you sent him a smile before waving, “I’ll see you later Ryouta! Please don’t give your teammates too much grief.”

They were already too far for you to hear his cries but you couldn’t stop the smile from growing. He always seemed to have that effect on you as of late. It was a good way to distract yourself from other things. Speaking of which, you turned your attention to Kasamatsu, who was standing there with a hand on his face in disbelief.

“I’m sorry he’s such a hassle, Kasamatsu-senpai.”

Shaking his head, he turned his steel-blue eyes to you, “It’s not your fault. Kise’s just an idiot.”

You laughed, “I suppose that’s true. But he’s a kind idiot.”

He raised an eyebrow at your statement, but you shook your head, keeping your eyes ahead.

“So what did you wanna do?”

“It doesn’t matter to me. Whatever you want to do.”

You couldn’t stop the laugh from escaping your lips at the captain’s nonchalant attitude. Still, it made you happy you could get to know the Kaijo’s captain, the person Kise speaks so highly about.

“Alright then, let’s just go where our feet take us!”

You watched as he nodded, before your feet began to trek down the street.


	5. I wish I could reach out to you, but my mind is in complete chaos.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Ignorance is bliss... However, when Kise learns a secret you've kept from them since middle school, not only does he welcome it, he comforts you during one of the worst times of your life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is by far the longest chapter I wrote for this story.. I still don't remember HOW I managed that haha. But words just kept flowing.. I hope you guys enjoy :)

Trudging through the streets of Kanagawa with Kaijou’s basketball captain, your fingers curled around your keys, mindlessly playing with them. You knew Kasamatsu was watching from the corner of his eye, as though observing you, but you didn’t mind. Rather, you were thankful for the silence. It’s not that you didn’t want to speak with him, in fact it was quite the opposite. You wanted to barrage the poor boy with questions, especially the ones that revolve around Ryouta. But there was something holding you back.

Honestly, you knew where you were heading, and it made you so distracted, you weren’t sure if Kasamatsu was just staying silent because he was nervous himself or if he sensed something was wrong. Still, when you turned your eye to look at him, you caught him staring at you, causing him to blink before nervously looking away, a blush on his face. Biting back the smile, you shook your head, keeping your eyes on the streets in front of you.

He really was a nervous wreck around women.

Kasamatsu tucked his hands inside his jacket pocket, feeling just a bit nervous. It was stupid really, after all, he was the one to suggest hanging with you. Even though he sucked at interacting with women, he found you were a bit easier to tolerate. He wasn’t sure if it was because of the previous scene, where you handed Kise so well and with an attitude similar to his, but he felt intrigued with you. it was the only logical explanation he could come up with, his mind trying to think of any other plausible reason with no luck.

Either that or he was going insane.

Well, it wouldn’t be a shock if he was; handling Kise required a lot of patience and tolerance. He was thankful for having two little brothers, otherwise he didn’t think he’d last. Still, regardless how he felt about Kise, he was the captain and he wasn’t going to treat him differently.

He looked out of the corner of his eyes to see a frown on your face. The sound of keys jingling caught his attention, noticing your hand tighten around them rather painfully. You seemed lost in thought, eyes guarded from everyone, yet open for him to notice there was something on your mind. Besides the tightening of your hand, no other part of your body seemed tense. Rather, you seemed focused on where you were walking.

Did you know this area?

It was when that last thought ran through his mind, he had realized you’d been staring back at him, attempting to hide a smile. He cursed mentally, trying to hold the blush back from staring. He wasn’t one to be so rude, yet he was caught by someone who his kouhai respected. When he turned his head away, he felt irritation creep through his skin. It seemed you were enjoying his inner turmoil.

“It seems Ryouta-kun was right about you. You really are nervous around women.”

Almost choking on his spit, he turned to look at you, his eyebrows furrowed as he shook off his previous embarrassment. What irritated him most about this was you wouldn’t even look at him, your attention more focused on where both of you were walking rather than having a serious talk. It was the way you said it, as though you guys had been friends for ages and you were stating the obvious.

“Oi! If you’re going to talk to me, at least look at me. And why are you talking to me so casually? You don’t know me.”

He watched as your eyes furrowed, as though his words had offended you somehow. Still, when you turned your eyes towards him, he didn’t see any sort of anger within your [eye colour] eyes. Rather, you seemed just as confused as him, trying to figure it out for yourself.

You frowned, a hand coming up to your head, gently rubbing your neck, “Hmm.. I’m not really sure, to be honest. I just thought it’d be easier to talk with you if I made a joke. Ryouta-kun mentioned you may seem tense if I tried to talk with you. So…”

He blinked, his eyes widening at your statement. “Y-You wanted to talk to me?”

Shrugging, you sighed, “Well you’re one of the few people Ryouta-kun mentions on a daily basis. I had to find out what kind of person this "Kasamatsu-senpai” was. He always seemed to praise you, sometimes comparing you to myself. The excitement in his voice reminded me of how he reacted towards me back in middle school, so I had to see for myself. But he told me that it may not be such a good idea since I’m from Touou, and you guys were still hurt from losing.“

He was stunned at your direct approach. No other girl would go up to him, so willingly, and openly admit what was on their mind. And the way you acted as though it wasn’t a big deal only made him more impressed. You had no issue facing a problem head on, even talking to an upper classman from another school. He wouldn’t admit it out loud, but he really admired your courage. He was left speechless, unable to form any sort of thought that wouldn’t make him sound like a fool.

It was when you stopped, eyes wide at the building in front of the two of you that snapped him from his haze. He looked at the half torn down house, a frown on his face at remembering the fire that happened only a year ago. It was all over the news, even mentioning they’d found a body of an older male inside. They never did say if he survived, but he didn’t think too much about it. The roof was caved in, ashes from the building had been cleaned up. For some reason, they had yet to completely tear the building down, probably relating to the man they found inside, but for reasons he couldn’t explain, this sent chills up Kasamatsu’s spine.

Swallowing, he turned to look at you, noticing the mixture of anger and sadness within your eyes. He wasn’t sure which emotion was stronger, but he definitely noticed your hand shaking, curling into a fist before extending out. It was as though you didn’t know how to react to the scene before you. He wanted to ask, say anything to figure out your reaction, but you’d quickly turned away, walking back towards Kaijou High. He didn’t realize how fast you’d walked away from the place, as though it burned you to look at it, until he had to jog to keep up with you. You noticed this and slowed down your strides, your face falling from its previous state into a mask of nothingness.

"Sorry. I didn’t realize how fast I was going.”

Shrugging, he looked around the area, not feeling uncomfortable any more. “It’s fine. It wasn’t at a pace I couldn’t keep up.”

A ghost of a smile curled at your lips, before a sigh left them, shoulders slumping. “I’m guessing you want to know about my reaction back there?”

Rubbing the back of his head, he sighed, “It’s not any of my business. But if it’s something that’s been bothering you for a while, you should talk to someone about it. I mean, I don’t expect you to open up to me, since we barely know each other. But at the very least you should tell Kise.”

“It’s not something Ryouta needs to know.” Kasamatsu blinked at the way you dropped the ‘kun’ suffix from his name. As though you were angry with his name being brought up. He saw your eyes dim, your mask slowly crumbling into ash. “It’s not that I want to keep it from him, but not even Aomine-kun knows about this part of my past. I’d rather keep it that way.”

He quirked an eyebrow at this, “Is it that bad?”

You hummed, contemplating this man beside you. He did have this air around him that screamed trustworthy. But were you ready to share this part of your past?

“I… I wouldn’t say it’s bad… I mean… It doesn’t affect them personally. It’s just something I don’t really want to openly admit.” You turned to look at the few passing cars, your stare vacant of any emotion. Still, Kasamatsu stood there, frown on his face, but you could see he was being patient, giving you time and space to gather your thoughts.

Tch. He really was a noble captain.

Sighing, you turned towards the couple benches that were lined up near the street. Choosing to sit down, you watched as he followed, understanding it was going to be a rather long story. You figured you’d try to make it as short as possible, knowing he didn’t have all day. So you placed your head in your hands, cupping your chin, as you pondered what to say.

“I used to live in that house with my mother and father.” you paused, noticing from the corner of your eye how Kasamatsu’s eyes widened. “My parents are divourced. It happened four years ago, but to this day I still blame myself for it. I don’t have any siblings, and both my mother and father had different views when it came to raising me.”

You looked up to the sky, feeling the captain’s stare on you. He was listening, attentive to your story, and you weren’t sure if you were thankful or embarrassed by it.

“I grew up a tomboy, preferring sports over girl stuff. It irritated my mom. You see, she’s a model. She actually works for the same agency Ryouta-kun works for.” Chuckling, you shook your head, “That’s how I met the guy.” Steel-blue eyes looked at you, as though encouraging you to continue your story. “My mom didn’t like that I refused to be a model. She kept insisting everyone in the family did it so I should continue the family tradition. But I hate being girly. I mean, I hate how females are portrayed in society.” Coughing into your hand, you inhaled, “Anyway, that’s a story for another day. I guess my mom thought I’d change my mind if I went with her to work and saw her model. Even though I rebelled, she took me out of class, telling my principal I had a doctor’s appointment or something like that. Anyway, I only ran into Ryouta for a few minutes, so I guess he didn’t leave a good enough impression on me like he thought. So I didn’t remember who he was when I entered Teiko.”

Kasamatsu noticed how you stopped, as though you were expecting him to ask a question. He pursed his lips before sighing, “So the idiot assumed you guys were friends?”

Scratching the back of your head, you laughed, “Well, he was surprised to find out I didn’t have any recollection of who he was. When I heard he was a model, I had snuffed him, gave him the cold shoulder and went on with my middle school life. However, he was really persistent. For some reason, it annoyed him that I wasn’t giving him attention. Which I could never figure out considering all the other girls gave it to him. I didn’t mean to really be an ass to him at first. It’s just… As soon as I hear the word 'model’, I cringe, and I thought he would’ve been like my mom.. So..”

“You judged him too quickly is what you’re trying to say, right?”

“Something like that..” Rubbing the back of your head, you turned to face Kaijou’s basketball captain, Ryouta’s senpai, and the man who you barely knew but let you vent. “At the time, I hated my mother because she took me away from my dad. We had a strong bond, because we both loved basketball, and he helped me get better at it. So it hurt me a lot when my dad kicked us out, and my mom didn’t give me a choice on who I wanted to live with. I was confused, angry and really tired because I didn’t know who to blame. Was it mom’s fault? Dad’s?.. Mine?” Pausing to breathe, you continued, “I was really torn up, and I didn’t talk to my mom for months.” Closing your eyes, you felt the pain resurface, old wounds opening from not being properly cared for. Somehow, you took comfort in knowing a complete stranger was able to sit here and listen without judging you.

You’d never felt more grateful for this moment.

Sighing, you turned your attention back to the streets in front of you, feeling a bit nervous since you weren’t able to read Kasamatsu’s expression. “Anyway, it’s been three years since I last spoke with my dad. That’s honestly the reason I decided to come here today. I wanted to see if he was still around, attempt to make up for my past mistakes… But seeing the house the way it was… Honestly, it gave me mixed feelings. On one hand, I’m sad to see the house I grew up in shambles. But on the other hand, I’m happy knowing it can’t haunt me any more. I can start to forgive myself from this point on, something I should’ve done a long time ago.”

You heard him sigh, before a gentle hand rested on your head. “You shouldn’t have blamed yourself in the first place… Idiot.” Your expression fell, a pout formed on your lips, as though you were about to retort, “I can’t really give you advice on that stuff because I’ve never gone through it myself. However, you shouldn’t be blaming yourself for something you can’t control. I’m sure your parents didn’t want you to take the blame for their mistakes. I do think they could’ve handled it better, but what’s done is done. So instead of dwelling on the past, you should focus on the present, and what you can do right now.”

Feeling embarrassed, you shrugged out from under his hand, casting a half-hearted glare towards him. “Well, I know that now!” scoffing, you pouted, “I swear you men think you know better than everyone else. You may be a captain, but that doesn’t mean you can lecture me!”

Feeling irritated, he flicked your forehead, a curse escaping your lips, as he stood up, making you feel suddenly smaller, “I’m not lecturing you because I’m a captain, idiot. I’m lecturing you because you’re sounding like Kise and how he used to think he didn’t have to show respect to his elders. I know you know better than that, and I’m only doing this because I don’t know how to handle women when they cry.”

You gaped, mouth hanging open in shock, before you burst out laughing, holding your gut with your hands. “Y-You really thought I would cry?” You saw him blush and this made you smile, “Good news, Kasamatsu. I won’t be crying today. So you don’t have to feel uncomfortable around me. I’ve only cried in front of two people my entire life, and that’s Ryota-kun and Aomine-kun. So, don’t worry. If anyone’s going to deal with me crying, it’ll be one of them.”

Rubbing the back of his head, he huffed, “Good. I have to deal with Kise when he gets all upset. I don’t need to deal with another kouhai when they’re whiny and clingy.”

Rolling your eyes, you sent him a lop-sided smirk, “Right… Don’t worry Kasamatsu-senpai. It gets easier to deal with. Besides, when you graduate this year, I’ll have to be the one who deals with him whining about you guys leaving.”

He noticed your sudden mood change and felt himself smirk at you, “Good. Even though you’ve dealt with him all through middle school, you’re doing a really good job keeping him in line. Glad to know he’ll be in good hands when I leave.”

Checking the time on your phone, you realized class was almost over. Placing it back in your pocket, you nodded at him as you turned around, “Let’s go. Class is almost over and I don’t want to be responsible for you being late.”

Kasamatsu blinked, still shocked at your behaviour, before sighing. “I guess you’re right. But even if I was late, it would’ve been my fault. I was the one who asked you to hang out. A kouhai shouldn’t take responsibility for their senpai’s mistakes.”

You raised an eyebrow at him, feeling yourself stop at his words, “You think of me as your kouhai?”

“It doesn’t matter what school you go to. The fact is, Kise respects you and you’re his best friend. Not to mention you’re younger than me. So yes, you are my kouhai. Whether you think of me as your senpai or not doesn’t matter. As long as you respect me and the Kaijou name, I have no complaints.”

He watched as your lips curled into a genuine smile, one that caused him to blink. “Don’t worry about it. I have no intention of disrespecting people who have helped me and my friends. As long as you don’t hurt or mess around with me or them, I’ll respect you.” You countered, taking a few more steps. “Oh, and one more thing,” you paused, waiting for him to catch up to you before you gently punched him in the arm, a goofy smile on your face, “Thanks for the help, Kasamatsu-senpai.”

Feeling slightly embarrassed, he coughed into his hand, turning away slightly to hide the blush. “You’re welcome, [Last Name]-san.”

* * *

“[NAME]-CCHI!”

You sweat dropped as Ryouta bombarded you with hugs and practically smothered you on Kaijou’s grounds. Kasamatsu kicked his ribs, causing him to fall to his knees, whining about how his senpai was mean.

“You idiot, don’t smother her!”

Rolling your eyes, you watched as he walked towards the school, irritation on his face. “See you at practice, Kasamatsu-senpai!”

Not bothering to turn around, he waved his hand in the air, but both you and Ryouta caught the smile on his lips, which made him look at you in confusion.

“Why was senpai smiling at you?”

Before he could jump to conclusions, you dragged him away from the school, feeling uncomfortable with the stares from his fangirls. Seriously, were they this obsessive with him?

“Don’t worry about it. But I can say you picked a good school to go to.” Sending him a smile, you patted his shoulder, “I’m proud of you, Ryouta-kun!”

His eyes widened, tears slightly glistening in his eyes before he blinked, “[Name]-cchi…” Bringing you into a tight bear hug, he squeezed you tightly, knowing you weren’t weak enough to be hurt, “I love you!”

Laughing at his childish behaviour, you whispered, “I love you too, Ryouta-kun. And I mean what I said. I’m honestly glad you went to Kaijou.”

You could feel the happiness radiating from his body and when you pulled away, you felt the warmth from his smile as he grinned at you, golden eyes shining with excitement and acceptance. Sighing, you turned your attention to your surroundings, feeling the familiar warmth of the sun.

“Ne, what does [Name]-cchi think of Kasamatsu-senpai?”

Blowing out a breath, you smiled, gently punching Kise in the shoulder, “He’s a great senpai. You’re lucky to have him, Ryouta-kun. Don’t take advantage of his kindness.”

“You know, that’s such a broad opinion, [Name]-cchi. That could mean a lot of things.”

“But I’m being serious.” He blinked, confusion etched in his eyes, “I didn’t really have much time to get to know him. But from our conversation, I can say he’s an amazing guy. You know I don’t just shower anyone in compliments.” you paused, eyes attentive on the blonde beside you, “He has this feel about him, you know, that makes him confident and proud. But he doesn’t show it off either. Rather, he prefers to keep calm, and assess a situation before responding.” Rubbing the back of your head, you sighed, “You were right. He is a lot like me.”

Grinning happily, he nodded, “Of course he is! It’s one of the things that stood out when I first met him.”

Rolling your eyes, you smiled, “I’m surprised you noticed such a thing. It took you forever to realize that’s how I was.”

“Hey! It’s harder with girls than with guys. Though I must admit, I felt extremely annoyed when I first met him. I didn’t like people talking down to me, and when he did so at basketball try outs, I felt intense anger. 'Why should he get to look down on me because he’s older?’ Was what I first thought.”

Your eyebrow furrowed in confusion, “But, Ryouta-kun. That’s what I did to you when we first met.”

Shaking his head, he sighed, “You’re different, [Name]-cchi. We’re the same age, so I didn’t really see it as you looking down on me. Besides, "his lips curled into a smirk, "It’s hard to take such a short person seriously.”

Your eyebrow twitched in annoyance, hand curling into a fist. He caught sight of it, and gently grabbed it within his hand, causing your shocked eyes to look at him. Flushing in embarrassment, you grumbled,

“Idiot Ryouta.”

He grinned, leaning in close, causing you to fluster even more.

“You love this big idiot, though.”

He received a punch to the gut in response.

* * *

“Ne, Kasamatsu-senpai.”

Said captain blinked before turning his attention to Kise, an eyebrow raised. The only remaining people in the gym were himself, Kise, you, Moriyama, Kobori and Hayakawa. The coach went to talk with the principle about an upcoming practice match and the rest of the basketball members had left.

“Why don’t we have a three on three match?”

Your ears perked at this, your frown etched deeper and you could’ve sworn he was doing this on purpose. You didn’t have an issue playing, but you weren’t sure how any of the members would react to playing with you. Not that you could blame them, after all, you were from Touou.

“What are you talking about, Kise? There’s only five of us, where are we going to-”

Before Moriyama could finish his sentence, Kise had ran to you, trying to suffocate you with his persistence.

“[Name]-cchi!~ Will you play wit-”

“NO.”

He frowned, topaz eyes glistening in fake tears you knew he would start to shed soon. “EH?! BUT WHY NOT?”

Smacking his head, you sighed, “Sorry, I don’t play on teams any more. Besides, you expect me to play with you? It wouldn’t be fair.”

Shaking his head, he grinned, “No. Not with me. You’ll be playing against me.”

You could feel the stares of the rest of the team and your face fell, annoyance starting to take form. “Ryouta, I don’t know what your game here is,” standing up and pushing him away from you, you glared, “but it’s not going to work on me. Remember who you’re talking to.”

You could see the mischievous smirk forming on his lips and you knew he was up to no good. Shaking his head, he sighed, turning his attention to his team, who watched with different expressions. Hands on his hips, you couldn’t see his face, but you saw his shoulders slump, as though he’d given up, before he spoke loudly,

“I didn’t know [Name]-cchi was a quitter.”

Twitch.

“For someone I had looked up to, you sure seem quite different from when I first met you. You were never one to back down from a challenge. I guess going to Touou with Aominecchi made you softer. Or perhaps, you’re scared of losing?”

Another twitch.

The other four frowned at Kise’s taunt, unsure of how you’d respond. Kasamatsu sighed, about to step in when Kise cut him off, his eyes filled with a look of seriousness he hadn’t seen since the Interhigh.

“Then again, I suppose it makes sense. I mean, if you can’t even beat me, how do you expect to beat Aominecchi? And if I know him, he’d gladly destroy you on the court. He had no issue doing it to me.”

Taking the ball from Kobori’s hands, he dribbled it casually, feeling the intense rage emitting from your body. He heard you sigh, as though trying to calm yourself down, but he knew even if you looked calm, you were anything but. He’d purposely thrown those words at you, fully knowing he’d get a reaction like this from you. After all, you were like the rest of the generation of miracles, and you never backed down from a challenge. Making sure you were actually accepting his invitation, he turned his body around, throwing the ball at your face, expecting you to retaliate.

When you caught the ball, the other four men watched with baited breath, their eyes wide in shock, as you lifted your eyes, intense anger and fury blazing through those [eye colour] orbs. But when they saw the evil smirk, they were unprepared for the ball to be whipped back at Kise, smacking him square in the face. Huffing, you shook your head, the frown returning to your face.

“I don’t know why you seem to think I care about stuff like that. It’s really irritating when you think you know me.” Hand on your hip, you took your sunglasses off your head, placing them on the bench, shoulders slumping. “But you do raise a good point, Ryouta.”

Taking off your sweater, you were now in a baby blue shirt, you threw it on the bench, uncaring how you looked. If he was going to be insistent on you playing, then fine. He better be prepared for it.

“If I can’t beat you, I can’t really call you my friend now can I? I can’t be on the same level as you if I can’t win through team play.” Standing there with your arms crossed, you couldn’t stop the smirk from forming on your lips, “You better prepare yourself, Ryouta. You’re not going to win today. As of this moment, we’re rivals.”

His eyes widened at those words, a sense of relief washing over his chest. Standing to his full height, the others watched as both of you got in each others faces, smirks curled at your lips as though prepared to fight.

“I wouldn’t count on that. I may have lost to Kurokocchi and Aominecchi, but I’ll never lose to a girl, not even you, [Name]-cchi. And I’m glad you consider us rivals, because now it means I won’t hold back.”

“Well then..” you took a deep breath, regaining the composure you lost, “I’ll make you eat those words.”

* * *

The teams were split into threes. Kasamatsu, Kise and Moriyama on one, while you had Kobori and Hayakawa. You stood there, a hand on your face as you contemplated your options. You had no worries about the other two, even though you’d never underestimate a team, but your biggest concern was Ryouta. You knew how he played with his team, you watched it at the Interhigh match, and how he used to play in Teiko. You were proud to say he’d changed for the better, and it was all because of this team.

Sighing, you looked at the two taller males, determination in your eyes, “Alright boys. I’m sure you don’t really like playing with a girl, so I apologize for that. But right now, the only thing I’m concerned about is winning against Ryouta.”

Shaking his head, Kobori spoke, “I have no issues playing with you, [Name]. You’re one of Kise’s good friends and he always bragged to us about how well you played, so it actually got us curious.”

Placing your hand on your face, you grumbled, “What an idiot. I told him not to talk about me behind my back.”

He gave you a soft smile, as though trying to comfort you, “Actually, it was a good thing he did. It made all of us feel better about having you around. Obviously you know we’re still a bit torn since the match between our schools.” He turned to look at Hayakawa, who looked at both of you, nodding in agreement, before he turned his gaze back to you, “We’re both sorry for seeming suspicious of you. Even Moriyama is feeling bad about it.”

Shrugging, you smiled, “That doesn’t matter right now. All of you had a right to be nervous, suspicious or whatever other emotions you were feeling. It’s natural, and I was stupid for coming here so early. Regardless, our goal is to win. We can deal with all this other stuff later. We need to work as a team if we want to beat Ryouta.” Your expression turned serious, “What positions do you guys play?”

“I’m the center, Hayakawa is the power forward. I specialize in defense while he takes care of the rebounds. He also has explosive jumping, so it’s easier for him to catch the rebounds.” Kobori replied. He looked at you, eyebrow raised in confusion, “What position do you play, [Name]?”

You frowned, contemplating your response. You felt both their stares but didn’t feel uncomfortable with it. “Hmm.. I’d never thought about it, to be honest. I only played on Teiko’s girl basketball team for one year. Of course I also helped Satsuki-chan with managing the boy’s team, so I didn’t really go to the girl’s practices that much. They never took it seriously anyway, so we just played the position we felt comfortable with.” Scratching your head, you gave them a look, a slight smile on your face, “I guess I’d have to say point or shoot guard were the two positions I specialized in.”

Both nodded, turning their attention to the other three males who gathered into a small group. They looked back at you, determination in their eyes, “Let’s win!” You nodded, a smirk on your lips, “But let’s also have fun!”

Kise, Kasamatsu and Moriyama watched as the other three gathered in a group. The captain and shooting guard looked at Kise, who stood there with a huge smile on his face. They saw the determination in his eyes, but his smile also seemed to be one of happiness, contradicting his serious nature.

“To think I’d have to play against a girl, and a beautiful one like [Name] no less.” Moriyama sighed.

Rolling his eyes, Kasamatsu glared, “Stay focused, idiot. We can’t let her take advantage of your weak spot.”

Smiling, he shook his head, “Kasamatsu, I may have a crush on her but I won’t hold back. I will gladly show her my skills.”

Sighing, he turned his head to Kise, who stood there, unusually silent. It was as though he was assessing her, trying to read her movements. “Why are you thinking so hard Kise?”

This caught Moriyama’s attention, who turned his attention from you to look at the uncharacteristically quiet blonde. Scratching the back of his head, Kise pouted,“I just find it unfair how she won’t use one of our uniforms. How can I go all out on her if she can’t move in her clothes?”

Smacking his head, Kasamatsu growled, “Idiot! You’re more concerned for the clothing she’s wearing?! Can’t you take this seriously?”

“But senpai! She’s in jeans! That’s gotta be uncomfortable!”

Shaking his head, he slapped his hand on his face. “Both of you are idiots.”

Nakamura, who had been dragged into the gym by Kise, approached both teams, a basketball in hand. “Alright guys, we’re going to start this match. It’ll only be for twenty minutes and standard rules apply.”

He watched behind black glasses as both Moriyama and Kobori approached the center line, prepared for the tip off. Looking at the rest of the members, he felt his gaze last longer on you, as though you’d seemed familiar to him somehow. Shaking his head, he looked at the two members, wondering why Kise wasn’t doing the tip off instead but disregarded the thought. If he thought Moriyama would’ve been better suited, he wasn’t going to complain.

Blowing the whistle, he threw the ball in the air, both boys ready to jump. When it started to fall down, their feet left the ground, Kobori’s hand reaching first, sending the ball towards you. Catching it with ease, you barely took one step before Kise was in front of you, crouched like a tiger as he blocked you. You cursed in your head, knowing this was his plan the entire time. If you’d taken any more steps without dribbling, it would’ve been a foul for travelling. Your eyes narrowed, watching his movements carefully. There was going to be an opening in there somewhere, but you knew you couldn’t hold the ball for too long.

Sighing, you cast your eye towards Kobori, watching as Kise followed your movement. You did a fake, preparing to throw to him knowing Kasamatsu was guarding him, before dribbling to the right, breaking free from Kise’s defense. You knew he would catch up, so to throw him off, you dribbled under your legs, taking a slight step forward, heading left. The net was left wide open, so you took this as an opportunity to do a one man alley-oop, jamming the ball in the net. Hanging from the net, you let go, landing on your feet gracefully before turning to look at Kise, eyes narrowed.

“What kind of defense was that? Ryouta, I know you can do better than that.”

Scoffing, he took his shocked eyes off you, staring at the ground while the other four watched you in shock, his hand resting on his hip, grinning, “You’re not bad, [Name]-cchi. You didn’t do that in our one-on-ones.”

“Well I can’t show you everything at once, now can I?”

He watched with narrowed topaz eyes, “I guess you can’t. After all, there’s only so much you can do alone.”

Walking towards your team, you scoffed, “It’s not just that. I just don’t want you copying my best moves. At least not yet.”

Blinking in shock, he turned his head towards you, eyes furrowed in confusion. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

You could feel the stares of the other members, Kobori and Hayakawa standing in front of you, as you looked back at him, “I mean what I said, Ryouta. If you can’t figure out what I mean by that sentence, you don’t deserve to be called the 'copy cat’.”

Feeling irked, he turned to Kasamatsu and Moriyama, eyes blazing in seriousness. “Let’s show [Name]-cchi what Kaijou can do!”

The other two nodded in agreement as Kasamatsu dribbled the ball down court. He looked where everyone was positioned, noticing you were standing there, a good distance from Kise. This made him frown as Kobori stayed on the defense, attempting to block his throw. Scoffing, he threw the ball to Kise, feeling surprised at the great distance you put between him and yourself.

Kise caught the ball with ease, almost falling over in shock when he saw you standing right beneath the net, as though taunting him to shoot from there. He saw Moriyama was positioned closer to the net, Hayakawa defending him. When he saw Kasamatsu had broken from Kobori, he chose to dribble the ball closer. He stopped short when instead of being blocked by you, Kobori had stayed in front of him, as though defending both him and Kasamatsu.

“What’s [Name]-cchi thinking? She’s not even attempting to block senpai or myself. She’s just staying under the net. Is she trying to force a shot?’

Kasamatsu could feel Kise hesitate shooting, and Kobori was doing a good job blocking. Still, he wondered why you’d just stood under the net, as though prepared for him to take a shot. Rather, you’d never once shouted for Hayakawa or Kobori to do anything. As though you let them move on their own.

Grinding his teeth, Kise broke through Kobori’s defense, fully prepared to try one of Aomine’s moves, when he froze. Your eyes glowed with a strange look in your eye, as though challenging him to try it. He was distracted enough to notice Hayakawa move away from Moriyama, running towards the net, while Kobori switched places, screening Moriyama. He threw the ball, even though he knew Kasamatsu was open, and realized his mistake;

He’d thrown the ball too low.

He watched with wide eyes as you’d jumped, catching the ball with ease, before throwing the ball at Hayakawa, who was almost at the other end of the gym. Since there was enough space, the ball bounced a few times before it reached him, but he caught it and slammed the ball in, giving them yet another two points.

Standing up straight, you watched as Kise, Kasamatsu and Moriyama looked at you, disbelief written on their faces as you grinned.

"That’s how you defend.”

* * *

Nakamura watched with wide eyes as your team had already scored twelve points while Kise’s team had eight. He’d never seen a girl play as well, if not better, as the rest of the Generation of Miracles. He’d overheard you went to Teiko with Kise, but that still shouldn’t explain why you were so good. He knew Kise had also been helping you occasionally with your agility, but you were almost on par with Aomine Daiki, something he didn’t think was possible.

“What’s going on here?”

He snapped out of his thoughts when coach Takeuchi walked in, a frown on his face.

“Oh coach. They’re having a three on three match.”

Takeuchi blinked, confusion written on his face, “Three on three? If you’re not playing, who’s-”

He was cut off by the sound of the buzzer, indicating another shot had been made. He turned his attention to the court where he realized you’d been playing with Kobori and Hayakawa. His eyes widened in shock, unable to say anything.

“Coach?” Nakamura asked, confused.

He didn’t hear Nakamura, instead focusing on you. He recalled seeing you vaguely when you asked to borrow Kise a few times a week to help you practice. But he didn’t catch your name, seeing as he was too far away to hear.

_“What’s **she** doing here?”_

* * *

The first half was over. You took a deep breath, closing your eyes. Kobori and Hayakawa sat down, taking a much needed rest. After the stunt you pulled with defense, you’d been double-teamed by Kasamatsu and Moriyama, leaving Kise to be defended by the two of them. They knew Kise was an excellent player, but they didn’t realize just how much he’d grown.

“You guys are doing great. Don’t worry about our score.”

They looked at you, surprised at your words. You gave them a smile, “We’ll win this. Trust me.”

When they saw that look of confidence, they couldn’t help but think of Kasamatsu when he encouraged them to play. They finally understood why Kise respected you. Instead of saying anything, their expressions turned serious, nodding in agreement.

Kasamatsu watched as you smiled at Kobori and Hayakawa, as though giving them encouragement. He felt a sense of pride when he saw them give a serious nod back, as though prepared to win.

“Oi, Kise.”

He looked up from the floor, facing his captain with a confused look, “What’s up Kasamatsu-senpai?”

Sighing, he gave both of them a serious look, “Both of you better be prepared. It looks like [Last Name]-san is serious. And the other two look even more determined.”

Standing up, Kise sighed, “Of course they would be.”

Both Moriyama and Kasamatsu looked at him with confused expressions.

“After all, [Name]-cchi is like you senpai.” Kise paused, as though contemplating his next choice of words. “Besides, if there was a group of girls that rivalled the generation of miracles, she would’ve been one of them.”

* * *

It was down to the last minute of the match, everyone on both teams were completely exhausted, and you had to take a time out. You looked at the score, noticing you were only behind by two points. If you could sink a three pointer, the match was yours. There was one move you had yet to try out, one that you’d hardly practised since your father had taught it to you. Still, you knew you had to take that chance. But the only way that was going to happen was if you stole the ball from the other team.

Sighing, you looked at the two boys, exhaustion evident on their faces.

“Alright boys, I have one move that can win us the game. However,” you paused, taking in their expressions, “I haven’t actually practised it since I was a kid. I’m sure I can pull it off now. But I just wanted to warn you, in case it backfires and we lose because of it.”

Placing a hand on your shoulder, Kobori smiled, “We trust you, [Name]. In any case, we’ll have Hayakawa under the net for a rebound in case you miss. But we have faith in you.” You saw the looks on their faces, feeling the sincerity of the vice captain’s words. Hayakawa nodded, also placing his hand on your other shoulder. You felt your eyes widen before you smiled at them,

“Thanks guys. Now, let’s steal that ball!”

The three of you shouted as the time out finished, the final showdown upon them.

* * *

Kasamatsu dribbled the ball down the court, watching as Moriyama and Kise attempted to break out of the defense. He was shocked when you sidestepped, as though allowing Moriyama to break free on purpose. He was distracted by this sudden move, when he passed to him, he failed to see Kobori intercept and steal the ball, running down the court while dribbling.

Kise saw his movement and stepped in front of you, blocking the throw. Moriyama noticed Hayakawa under the net once more, and chose to defend against him. Kasamatsu stood in front of Kobori, though his height put him at a disadvantage. All of them watched as you stared at Kise, eyes narrowed in seriousness before you threw a quick glance at him. Kise, as though knowing what you were going to do, stretched his hand, preparing to block the ball from being throw to you, when he failed to see your other hand outstretched behind you, signalling to Kobori to throw it to your right hand.

Taking the chance, he threw it, your right hand catching it with ease, everyone’s eyes widened at your position. You looked as though you were in Aomine’s form, getting ready to throw a formless shot from the side. Kise, feeling anger at this, managed to block your right side, but gasped when you jumped, doing a three-sixty spin to break from his defense.

Coach Takeuchi couldn’t stop his eyes from widening when he recognized that shot,

“It can’t be! That’s…!”

Your eyes narrowed, determination flowing through them as you growled, “This ends now, RYOUTA!”

Kise thought you were going to shoot straight ahead, as you still hadn’t touched the ground, but realized he was too late when you threw the ball from behind your left side, applying enough force that it went up straight in the air. The clock continued to count down as you did one more spin, extending your hand and shoved your hand against the ball, sending it flying half way across the gym. Everyone watched with baited breath as the ball hit the back board, sinking into the net just as the buzzer went off.

There was a stunned silence, as though time had stopped for everyone, before you landed on your feet, knees bent as you fell from exhaustion. Gasping, you slid to your butt, your hands resting beside you as pants came from your mouth. Sweat dripped from your forehead, hitting the gym floor. You looked up, seeing the score as fifty-one to fifty. Your heart raced as you felt yourself laugh, happy and laboured from your breathing. Uncaring of the floor, you laid down, eyes blurry from the small bit of tears falling from your eyes.

Kobori and Hayakawa looked at each other, grinning happily at the win before they ran towards you, watching as you laid there. When they saw you open your eyes, they smiled at you, Kobori extending his hand to help you up. Taking his hand in yours, you attempted to stand up, feeling your legs shake. Your grasp slipped and you almost fell, but long arms wrapped around you, causing you to look up. Ryouta smiled happily at you, feeling both the pain of losing, and the happiness of seeing you play running through his veins.

“Heh… Guess I win… Ryouta-kun.”

A smirk graced his lips, “You know, for someone who won, you look like death. And this was only a twenty minute match.”

Helping Kobori, Kise walked you to the bench, attempting to make you sit down. You frowned, struggling to get out his grasp when Kobori let go, “Dammit Ryouta! I don’t have to sit, you idiot! If I do, I’m probably not getting back up.”

Rolling his eyes, he turned to look at Kasamatsu, who along with Moriyama, stood in front of you. He sported a frown at losing, but his face was stern at your lack of behaving. Flicking your forehead, you cursed as you fell onto the bench, attempting to glare at Kaijou’s captain. Hayakawa came from out of nowhere, rubbing your head happily, causing you to laugh. Everyone looked at each other, nodding in understanding, before looking at you, smiles on their faces. Kasamatsu extended his hand, causing you to frown in confusion.

“Good game, [Last Name]-san.”

The realization dawned on you and your lips curled, taking his hand in yours, returning the smile.

“Likewise, Kasamatsu-senpai. And thank you all, for letting me play.”

Everyone returned the smile, Kise grinning like mad. When you let go of Kasamatsu’s hand, Kise bombarded you with a hug, causing you to blush.

“Thank you, [Name]-cchi… For playing against me again.”

Blinking, your eyes dimmed as you felt your heart race at his words. Scoffing, you buried your face in his shoulder, wiping the sweat and tears from your eyes.

“If anyone has to thank someone, it should be me. Thank you for not giving up on me.”

Pulling away, you blinked as he held out his fist, a grin on his face. Confusion etched on your face as you looked between his fist and eyes, trying to understand what he wanted. When his eyes opened, you recognized the look. He always wore it when you used to give him fist bumps at the end of every game, as a way of cheering him up. Closing your eyes, you sighed before looking up at him, feeling everyone stare at you, extending your fist against his. Both your fists collided and laughs from both your mouths filled the silence.

“[Your father’s last name]-chan?”

The silence was interrupted by the coach, who had joined the group, along with Nakamura. Kise moved to your right side, allowing the coach to approach you, watching with a curious expression. The rest of the team looked at each other, also confused by the coach’s reaction. But when they turned to look at you, they saw your eyes wide, as though the name had caused you to go into shock.

“Eh? No coach. This is [Name]-cchi! You must have her mistaken for someone else.”

The only person who knew what was going on was Kasamatsu, who you’d explained the story to earlier. Still, he didn’t know that was your father’s last name. Wait..

“You mean, this is [Your father’s last name]-san’s daughter?!”

Moriyama and Kobori looked at their captain in shock before turning to look at you. When they saw the frown on your face, they finally put two and two together. The resemblance was there. They couldn’t understand how they missed it earlier!

Kise, Nakamura and Hayakawa stood there, completely confused. They didn’t know what was going on and the fact that half their team knew irritated them.

“Can anyone explain to me what’s going on? Who’s [Your father’s last name]?”

Sighing, Takeuchi looked at the three younger players, “[Your father’s last name] was an old friend of mine. He used to play with me back in high school. We were supposed to be on the National team together.”

Kise’s eyes widened at the news before turning to you, excitement in his voice, “REALLY?! WOW! [Name]-cchi you didn’t tell me your dad played basketball! Wait!” He stopped, a frown on his face, “You told me your dad was a [father’s occupation]. You said your parents didn’t like you playing sports!”

Sighing, you stood up, glaring at him “You’re right! They don’t! They never wanted me to be part of any sports. That’s why my mom forced me to go with her modelling that day in elementary! That’s why we ended up meeting! Because my mom didn’t want me to be like my dad!”

Kise stood there, stunned. But it didn’t make sense. “But [Name]-cchi.. That doesn’t make sense.”

“Kise…” Coach Takeuchi spoke, placing a hand on his shoulder. The blonde turned to look at him, along with the rest of the team. Kasamatsu was the only one who kept his gaze on you, watching for any sign to intervene. “[Name]-chan’s father got severely hurt when he was on our team. It was during one of our matches. One of the other players had landed on his legs and it had shocked his entire lower body.” He took a deep breath, eyes looking at you, “He was deemed paralysed from the waist down.”

Everyone remained silent, Kasamatsu had placed a hand on your shoulder, as though trying to comfort you. You’d felt numb, even though you’d been told the whole story when you were younger.

The coach continued, “He ended up having surgery. It was successful and he was approved to play again. But he never did pick up another basketball. He couldn’t look at the sport the same way.” He turned his gaze to you, “But he told me when you chose to take an interest in it, he was happy. He ended up regaining interest in it and started teaching you what he knew.”

Suddenly, you felt dread in your stomach as he placed a hand on your other shoulder, a look of sadness in his eyes, “I’m sorry, [Name]-chan.”

Everyone looked at you with different expressions. Some were of sadness, some were of pity. You couldn’t read Kasamatsu’s or Ryouta’s. You looked at the coach with confused eyes,

“What are you talking about? There’s nothing to be sorry for. It happened years ago.”

The entire Kaijou team looked at you with wide eyes, as though you grew a second head. All of them knew what happened, but it seemed you were completely clueless. This irritated you, as though they knew a secret and you were left in the dark.

What was going on?

Takeuchi raised an eyebrow, looking at you in confusion.

“[Name]-chan, it happened last year.”

Shaking your head, your body began shaking for some unknown reason. You weren’t sure if it was anger or sadness, but you cursed, clenching your fists.

“What are you talking about? I would know when my parents got divourced, and it happened four years ago!”

Kise’s eyes widened at the news, completely caught off guard. But it would make sense as to why you’d act so different when he mentioned his parents. But, he frowned.

Did you really not know?

Kasamatsu looked at the coach, who exchanged glances before looking back at you. There was a hidden emotion within your eyes, and he sighed, not wanting to break the news to you.

“[Name]-chan…” he swallowed, taking a deep breath, “Your father died last year in the fire. Didn’t your mother tell you?”

Shuddering, you felt your mind go blank. Your blood froze as you stood there, face going pale. You vaguely recall your mother telling you last year she had to go out of town for a bit, but you didn’t question it since she normally had to leave. You were also dealing with Aomine and the rest of the Generation of Miracles. It didn’t occur to you she was leaving for this.

But she never did mention your father when she came back. In fact, she never spoke of him again.

Blinking, you looked at the ground, feeling the stares of the team on you.

“No… She didn’t tell me. In fact… She never once mentioned him in the past year..” Swallowing, you sighed, “I thought it was because she hated him.”

Everyone looked at each other, unable to form a response. You seemed so defeated and broken, they weren’t sure if saying something would set you off. When you looked up at them, they saw the tears but didn’t say anything as they fell silently. Instead, Kise wrapped you in his arms, holding you as you silently wept in front his team. The rest of the team surrounded you, placing hands on your shoulder in a comforting gesture. The one who surprised you was Kasamatsu, who rested his hand on your head, gently rubbing your hair in a soothing way. There wasn’t a blush this time, only a look of concern and you realized despite going to different schools, you could rely on this team.

Suddenly, they had become a second family, and you couldn’t be more grateful for this.


	6. Someday, I may betray you... The way I betrayed him

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which ____ contemplates letting Ryouta closer... Because she doesn't want to lose him the same way as Aomine.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, these last couple chapters have focused more on Kaijou and reader's relationship, but it was necessary to understand their bond! Momoi makes her appearance and we get to see the bluenette again!

“You know, you didn’t have to see me all the way home. Just to the bus stop would’ve been fine.”  
  
“_______-cchi, you were bawling your eyes out in front of everyone. I’m not gonna let you go alone.”  
  
Rolling your eyes, you sighed, shoulders sagging slightly, feeling the stares of both Ryouta and Kasamatsu on your back. You weren’t sure if they chose to walk you home out of pity, but the way Ryouta was behaving started to piss you off. You understood he was concerned for you and he wanted to make sure you were okay, but did he really think you were lying?  
  
Turning you head slightly, you caught their eyes widening as you sent them glares.  
  
“Don’t talk as though you know shit, Ryouta. If I said I’m fine, it means I’m fine!” Grumbling under your breath, your attention went back to in front of you as you muttered, “Seriously, people like you piss me off.”  
  
He took a step back, as though he’d been shocked, a hurt expression appearing on his face. He’d turned his topaz eyes to the ground, eyebrows furrowed, trying to think of what to say. Kasamatsu watched the interaction, steel-blue eyes slightly showing hurt but hardening with resolve. If he didn’t step in soon, both of you were going to say things you’d regret later on, and he didn’t want to see that happen. Before he could say a word however, Kise had interferred.  
  
“_____-cchi, you don’t have to act tough in front of us. We’re not like Aominecchi. **We** won’t abandon you.”  
  
Both boys watched with baited breath as you’d stopped, shoulders slightly shaking. They couldn’t see your face, concern showing in their eyes. Kasamatsu was surprised at how soft Kise’s voice was when he spoke. He **knew** his words were treading on thin ice, and any backlash was to be expected. Your fists tightened as you grit your teeth, holding back the anger you could feel starting to creep under your skin.  
  
 _‘No. It’ll be the other way around, Ryouta. I may be the one who abandons you.’  
  
_ They heard you sigh, your body relaxing as your fingers uncurled from a fist, tucking into your pockets. You turned around to face them and they weren’t prepared for the unreadable look in your eyes.  
  
“Who said I was acting?”  
  
They’d stopped in their tracks, trying to read your expression. They felt thoroughly confused when a ghost of a smile graced your lips, your voice soft yet serious as you spoke,  
  
“I’m fine, honestly. I understand you’re concerned, and I appreciate the sentiments. But you don’t have to waste your energy on me. There’s no sense in staying sad.” A frown appeared on your lips, “It’s true I wish I had the chance to make amends with my father.” You paused, gauging their reactions, “But this means I have a concrete reason to play. My father left me with the sport and so I’ll be able to play for him now. Somehow, this gives me a sense of peace, and I’m okay with that.”  
  
Silence engulfed the three of you, your words echoing through their minds. There was a hidden emotion laced within them but they somehow gave the boys a sense of peace of their own. They couldn’t argue with you, seeing as you’d never looked so peaceful since the basketball game held only mere hours ago.  
  
Your face fell when you directed your gaze towards Ryouta, “I’m sorry for not telling you about my parents.”

Brought back from his musings, Kise frowned, “Eh? I don’t care about that!” Startled by his reaction, you looked at him with wide eyes, feeling Kasamatsu’s stare on you, “_____-cchi, I didn’t befriend you because I worked with your mom! I became your friend because you were one of the only people who didn’t care for my status, be it a model or a member of the Generation of Miracles. You treated me like a normal person, something hardly anyone did.” Resting his hands on his hips, he sighed, “If you didn’t tell me, there had to be a reason for it. You should know I’d never force you into talking, I respect you too much!”  
  
Blinking, you looked at him, a frown on your face, “Do you realize how corny that was? And to admit such a thing in front of your captain.” Turning away, you felt heat rise to your cheeks, “Stupid Ryouta, if you’re going to embarrass the both of us, I’d rather not be in public.”  
  
His face fell, crocodile tears falling as he wrapped his arms around you, “_____-cchi is so mean!~”  
  
“Are you really gonna start this again? Seriously Ryouta, must you cry all over me?”  
  
Shaking your head, you sent the captain a sheepish smile, gently patting Kise’s head, “Sorry, Kasamatsu-senpai. I’m sure you don’t want to see him hanging on me.”  
  
Shrugging, he rubbed his head, a sigh escaping his lips, “It’s fine. I’m already used to him acting like a brat.” Smacking the blonde, he glared, “What did I say about being all over ______-san?”  
  
Both of you blinked when you caught Kasamatsu’s slip up. Kise was the first to address it, a sly smirk on his face, “Ne, senpai… Did you just call ____-cchi by her first name? I’d never once heard you address anyone so casually.”  
  
You raised an eyebrow at Kise, a frown on your face at his implications. Kasamatsu had sported a blush, anger radiating from his body. Without any warning, he’d punched him in the gut. Kise doubled over in pain, landing on his knees, as his captain snorted,  
  
“It was a slip up. Don’t say things like that you ungrateful brat!”  
  
You watched the interaction between senpai and kouhai, and found yourself sighing. A frown appeared on your lips as your hands rested on your hips.  
  
“I don’t really care. If Kasamatsu-senpai wants to call me by my first name, it’s fine. I don’t like when people are so formal around me anyway. Why else do you think I’ve accepted your nickname, Ryouta?”  
  
His eyes widened, a look of shock on his face, “EH?! I thought you liked my nickname _____-cchi?”  
  
You shook your head, a small smile reaching your lips. “Don’t get so upset. You know I don’t mean anything bad by it.” Turning to look at Kasamatsu, whose attention was anywhere but your face, you found yourself grinning stupidly. “I didn’t know Yukio-senpai got so uptight about stuff like that.” Both of them looked at you with wide eyes when you said his first name. Your face puffed up before you burst out laughing, kneeling over, hands holding your stomach,  
  
“You guys should see your faces!! It was just a slip up. I won’t do it again!” You teased, watching from the corner of your eye as Kasamatsu’s face was burning red, Kise’s expression was still in shock before he burst out laughing with you.  
  
You heard Kasamatsu growl, causing you to look at him with an eyebrow raised. He sent glares at you before turning around, arms crossed and eyebrows furrowed in anger, “Tch. Do what you want, idiot.” He released a sigh, shaking his head, “I’m not sure who’s worse, you or Kise.”  
  
You were about to reply, feeling slightly insulted at his words, when you felt someone jump on your back. You let out a startled yelp, catching the boys’ attention, almost falling over, hands wrapped around someone’s legs. You were thankful for your ability to steady yourself.  
  
“______-chan!~”  
  
Both Kise and Kasamatsu’s eyes widened when they saw the pink-haired girl. Turning your head slightly, your eyes blinked rapidly in shock.  
  
“Eh? S-Satsuki?!” You got over the initial shock, anger starting to swell in your chest. “What the hell are you doing?!”  
  
She pouted, arms tightening around your neck, burying her face in your shoulder.  
  
“I’ve missed you silly! You haven’t been in school since Friday! And classes with Aomine-kun are so tiring! He won’t stop asking me where you are!”  
  
Your eyes narrowed at the mention of his name. You weren’t angry at him, but rather at yourself for being a coward. The entire time you were with Ryouta and Kasamatsu, not once had Aomine come to your mind. Just the mere mention of his name made you feel so conflicted, your heart had already been aching after hearing about your father.. But somehow, those two had made the pain more bearable.  
  
You never felt this emotionally exhausted in your life.  
  
Both boys stared at you, different reactions on their faces. Kasamatsu’s eyes were narrowed, irritation on his face. He wanted to yell at you for coming to Kaijou. If he’d known you’d skipped that many days, he would’ve forced you to go.  
  
Kise, on the other hand, felt angry at hearing Aomine’s name. It’s seems the pinkette wasn’t aware of the situation between you and Aomine, and this made Kise confused. He thought she would’ve known since you’re in the same class and you see each other everyday. But judging from her reactions, she didn’t have a clue.  
  
They both noticed your eyes flicker between happy and sad, but neither were sure how to address it without alerting Satsuki.  
  
You mentally cursed your luck, hoping she wouldn’t run into you while you were with them. Either she saw you from wherever she was going, or she had a feeling you’d be here. You never knew with your best friend and sometimes it annoyed you. Turning to look at the captain, you noticed he wanted to say something but chose to remain silent. Nodding your head towards Satsuki, you sighed,  
  
“And as you can see, Kasamatsu-senpai. I have my own leech I deal with.”  
  
“EH?! ______-chan! You don’t mean that do you?!”  
  
“EH?! _______-cchi! Don’t be so mean!”  
  
You rolled your eyes, head shaking is disbelief while Kasamatsu cringed at their high-pitched voices. Satsuki blinked, eyes finally meeting Kise’s, who looked like he was going to cry.  
  
“Eh? Ki-chan? Why are you with ______-chan?”  
  
Kasamatsu’s eyes raised at the nickname for Kise, who’d sighed, shaking his head. “Must you call me that, Momo-cchi?!”  
  
She rubbed her cheek against yours, causing you to frown as her pink eyes widened, her face falling into a pout, “Eh?! But Ki-chan is Ki-chan!”  
  
The Kaijou captain observed the interaction silently, arms crossed over his chest. Despite Kise going to Kaijou, it seemed as though they were back in middle school. It didn’t even seem Kise was affected by the thought of losing to Touou, the school both of them went to, and this somehow made him feel a bit calm.  
  
He saw how you frowned when Kise decided to join in, wrapping both you and Satsuki in a huge bear hug. Despite the frown on your lips, he saw the internal happiness within your eyes and for reasons he couldn’t place, he felt warm. He couldn’t deny the worry in his chest at seeing you cry, and then the dull look in your eyes a few moments prior. He thought it would be awkward afterwards, given the circumstances.  
  
However, seeing you interact with his team, the crying you’d done so openly and acceptance of their comfort without feeling ashamed, being around you came naturally to him.  
  
He scoffed, shaking his head. You reminded him of his little brothers.  
  
After five minutes, you pushed both of them off, coughing into your hand. You rubbed the back of your head, turning your attention to your pink-haired friend, who’d been talking with Ryouta.  
  
“Satsuki.. You didn’t say why you’re here.”  
  
Placing her hands on her hips, she pouted, “_____-chan, don’t tell me you forgot?”  
  
You looked at the boys, who were equally confused as you were, turning to look back at her only to see a pile of papers in front of your face. The two boys paled at the stack, neatly arranged in a pile.  
  
“You asked me to get all the homework for you so you wouldn’t fall behind!”  
  
Swallowing, your eyes were wide at the large stack, trying to grasp what was in front of you. Were the teachers trying to kill you?  
  
“There’s no way in hell I missed that much!” You yelled, startling the other three.  
  
She raised an eyebrow, “Of course not ____-chan! This is a whole week’s worth of classes!”  
  
Both boys watched as your face fell, eyebrow twitching in annoyance, “Of course they would do this to me. Stupid teachers. I ask for one simple favour and I get this? Why wouldn’t they just separate it instead of overworking me?”  
  
“But ____-chan.. You have the whole week to do it. Actually, you have three weeks for some of it. They don’t want their number one student to fall behind!”  
  
Kasamatsu’s eyebrow raised while Kise’s eyes widened in shock, “EH?! ____-cchi is the top student?!”  
  
Satsuki looked at the two boys, a huge smile on her face, “YUP! All her tests come back with perfect marks! Or close to it!” She looked back at you, eyes closed as she giggled, “____-chan never studies either and still aces all the tests. She’s even in the advanced classes at Touou!”  
  
“OI! Just because I happen to love school, that doesn’t mean you can go around telling other people! And Satsuki is over-exaggerating again, I’m in the top twenty.” Sending her a glare, you crossed your arms, “I knew I shouldn’t have told you.”  
  
“But I’m your best friend, _____-chan! You can’t just keep secrets from me!”  
  
You sent the boys a look, as if to say ’ _Talk and I’ll kill you_ ’. They looked at each other, silently agreeing, before nodding at you, not realizing Satsuki had caught their movement.  
  
Her eyebrow raised in confusion, “Is there something you’re not telling me, ____-chan?”  
  
You cursed, realizing she’d taken notice of their silent communication. Sighing, you rubbed the back of your head, contemplating your options. You wanted to tell her what you found out today, but you didn’t want to be a broken mess in front of the boys. You did have pride after all, and you’d already thrown half of it away crying and making a fool of yourself.  
  
“How about we have a sleepover? At my house? My parents aren’t home and we can do all those girly things you enjoy so much.”  
  
She was about to open her mouth when you started pushing her towards her house, “Go and grab your things! We’ll stay right here until you return! Then we’ll walk back home together yeah?”  
  
Satsuki could feel herself start to tear up, though she wasn’t entirely sure of the reason. Still, she nodded, running towards her house. You watched her disappear in the distance, your shoulders slumping in exhaustion. Sighing, you took a deep breath, walking back to where the boys stood, eyes watching you carefully.  
  
“____-cchi would suck as an actor.”  
  
Eyebrows raising, you looked at him with a confused expression.  
  
“What the hell are you spouting Ryouta?”  
  
Pulling you into a hug, he sighed, “Momo-cchi clearly knew something was wrong. You won’t be able to keep things from her. Why are you trying so hard to shoulder the pain alone?”  
  
For some reason, his words made you freeze, anger starting to take over once more. You felt like you couldn’t breathe, as though his presence was suffocating. You growled, shoving him so hard, he almost fell on his ass if it wasn’t for Kasamatsu catching him. The duo saw your expression, so unreadable yet so sad, it tore at their hearts. But before they could say anything, your voice, although it was merely a whisper, reached their ears as though you shouted and it made them freeze.  
  
“Why are you so determined to beat Seirin?”  
  
Kise and Kasamatsu looked at you with raised eyebrows, confused at the question.  
  
“______-cchi, what are you talking about?”  
  
You kept your eyes on the ground, unable to look them in the eyes, scared you were going to cave into your desire to cry once more. Swallowing, you crossed your arms and huffed, “Kuro- I mean, Tetsuya told me about your practice match.” Ryouta’s eyes widened when he heard Kuroko’s first name from your lips, “He said they’d made a promise to face you guys in the Interhigh but thanks to my stupid school, they lost.” Feeling somewhat calm, you turned to look at the boys, “So tell me, why are you so determined to beat Seirin?”  
  
Sighing, Ryouta scratched the back of his head, as he looked at you with a serious expression.  
  
“For us, it’s a revenge match. Seirin had beaten us during our game and embarrassed us on our home turf. So we’re returning the favour.”  
  
There was a brief moment of silence before they heard you scoff,  
  
“That’s the dumbest bullshit I’ve heard in my life.” Your body tightened in anger before your voice raised, sending shivers down their spines, “REVENGE?! FOR A PRACTICE MATCH?! JUST HOW FUC-” you paused, eyes locking onto Kasamatsu before you clenched your jaw. Biting your lower lip, you turned your attention to the blonde, “STUPID ARE YOU?!”  
  
What shocked Ryouta was how you stopped yourself from swearing at his captain. He turned his eyes towards him, noticing Kasamatsu’s attention was on you the entire time, though he never showed any sign of anger. Despite being yelled at, Ryouta had never been on this end of your rage, and he couldn’t understand where the hostility came from.  
  
You seemed like a completely different person to him, and he wasn’t sure how to respond.  
  
“Seriously… You guys were the ones who **underestimated** them, making them start on a half court. Kagami-kun had to break the hoop to get their point across. If anything, you guys deserved to lose for looking down on them! You guys didn’t even show them an ounce of respect. Beating you was the only way to prove that; the only way to be taken seriously.” Sighing, you shook your head, “Besides… If anything, Seirin should be getting revenge on you guys.”  
  
Kasamatsu, who’d been silent for the duration of the time, spoke, “______-san, what do you mean by that?”  
  
You turned around, eyes directed at the road, trying to catch a glimpse of your pink-haired friend. You really just wanted to go home and sleep, your body feeling rather exhausted from the stress of today’s events. You took a deep breath, trying to stop your body from shaking in anger before looking back at them, a frown on your face,  
  
“Despite beating you guys, they lost to us. Meaning they weren’t strong enough to make it to the Interhigh. Everyone else thinks you guys are still stronger than them, even if some acknowledge Seirin’s strength. To everyone else, their win was a fluke and that thought itself is insulting.”  
  
Scratching the back of your head, you sighed, “I thought you’d understand, Kasamatsu-senpai, since you’re the captain and I’m sure you’re able to relate to Hyuuga-san. But that doesn’t matter.” Your attention went to the blonde, who found himself concerned with the look you were giving him.  
  
“Do whatever you want. If you want to get your so called 'revenge’, fine. That’s your business. Just know I won’t be needing your help any more.”  
  
Kise’s eyes widened, his eyebrows furrowed as he tried to decipher the look in your eyes. “_____-cchi… I…”  
  
“Clearly, I made a mistake.”  
  
Flashes of Teiko entered your mind, causing your face to contort in pain and anguish. Your bangs covered your eyes, but you knew they saw the tears rolling down your cheeks, mocking your ability to remain composed. Before either boy could react, you’d reached out, grabbing Ryouta by his shirt, while your eyes narrowed in anger,  
  
“You say you’re not like Daiki? Who are you fooling? Next to him, you were the third worst! Akashi was the biggest bastard, but you and Daiki both enjoyed making others feel like shit!” You didn’t even bother to look at Kasamatsu, feeling intense rage at the blonde in your grasp. “I get that people think you’re monsters because of how strong you are, but that doesn’t give you a right to mock them. I still haven’t forgiven what you did to Tetsuya’s friend! That score….” The blare of the buzzer following the flashing red numbers crept into your memory, making your eyes snap shut, “That’s not what Tetsuya asked you to do! Not only did you mentally destroy a boy who loved basketball, you crushed your team mate’s heart! Along with mine and Satsuki’s!”  
  
Opening your eyes, Ryouta saw the subtle flash before your fist collided with his cheek, sending the ace flying to the ground. Kasamatsu stood there, eyes completely wide in shock but he remained frozen in place. As much as he wanted to check on his ace, there was a nagging voice in his head telling him to remain where he was.  
  
Kise tried sitting up, a hand resting on his cheek, wincing in pain. He managed to get to his knees before he froze, a hand on the ground keeping him steady. The look of anguish and sadness in your eyes broke his heart. He knew you had a point, and he did act like that a year ago. But entering Kaijou and having Kasamatsu as his captain changed him, if only a little. He thought you’d seen that.  
  
Was it because he wanted revenge on Seirin?  
  
He didn’t have time to contemplate this thought as your broken voice entered his brain, causing him to stop breathing,  
  
“You guys have what so many others want.” You sobbed, your vision blurring with tears, “Yet you guys felt so defeated because you couldn’t find someone worthy of facing.. Me and Satsuki… We couldn’t do anything to help. We were so helpless to just stand there and watch as you guys grew apart…”  
  
Gasping for air, you felt your body start to shake, and you knew you were at your limit, but you needed to get this out before you allowed yourself to collapse from the weight of your emotions.  
  
“So don’t just pretend, just go and say, you’re not like him when all of you, in some way, acted **exactly** like him! All of you, not just Daiki, ignored the will of others and played around as though everyone was weaker than you. All of you….” you paused, trying to intake air into your lungs, failing horribly.  
  
Finally feeling courageous, you looked into both Kise and Kasamatsu’s eyes, the look of shock and sadness on their faces haunting your mind as you continued, “Were the reason I quit basketball. Because…”  
  
Feeling your lips curl into a smile, one that contradicted the look of loneliness and self-loathing within your eyes, you whispered the words that completely wrecked the taller boy’s heart and made him crumble underneath the weight of your feelings,  
  
“I couldn’t stand the thought of playing the same sport as the people I **hated**.”  
  
And when Kise blinked, he felt his eyes widened further when you’d staggered, tears falling at an alarming pace down your cheeks, and fell into his captain’s awaiting arms.  
  
.  
.  
.  
  
“_______-chan!” Satsuki yelled, when she saw you collapse into the Kaijou captain’s arms. She’d managed to run from her house, a tight knot in the pit of her stomach while she was packing her things. She was lucky to trust her intuition because when she got to where the three stood, she saw the defeated look on Kise’s face, his golden eyes glistening with a look she’d never seen him wear.  
  
Approaching the blonde, she reached for his hands, helping him off the ground. She turned to look at the captain, who’d managed to hold you against his chest, steel-blue eyes holding a look of seriousness and concern for you. Satsuki sighed, rubbing the back of her head before sparing Kise a glance.  
  
“She’s fine, Ki-chan. She’s just exhausted. Lately, ______-chan hasn’t been sleeping properly.” When she didn’t get a response from the blonde, she sighed, looking at Kasamatsu with a serious expression,  
  
“______-chan’s house is around the corner. I have a key to her house so we just need to get her there.”  
  
The captain nodded, turning his attention to his kouhai, who remained stunned at your outburst. They could worry about your words later, and deal with the situation when you’re awake. But right now, they needed to get you home, and Kise standing there like an idiot wasn’t going to help the situation.  
  
“Kise, we can deal with what _____-san said later. We need to get her home.”  
  
His voice seemed to snap Kise from his funk, who looked at him with a serious expression and nodded. Satsuki looked at the two boys before reaching for her bag, which still held your notes and her belongings. Once she was ready, she gave them a nod before leading the way to your house.

* * *

Your house really was around the corner and it made Satsuki happy she was able to get you in your home. She asked the boys to stay, at least until you woke up, but she had a feeling even if she didn’t ask, they would’ve stayed anyway. Satsuki had made everyone a cup of hot chocolate, sitting herself down in your living room, where you’d been sleeping peacefully on the couch.  
  
Kise sat on the floor, letting Kasamatsu sit on the edge of the couch, despite his protests. His hands were around the mug, gold eyes staring at the brown liquid with indifference.  
  
“Momo-cchi…”  
  
The pink-haired girl let out a small 'hm?’ as she sipped her cup.  
  
“W-When we were back in Teiko… Did _____-cchi ever tell you the reason she quit playing basketball?”  
  
Sighing, she placed the mug down, shaking her head, “She didn’t have to tell me. I already had a feeling as to why she quit, but even if she rebelled against us, I knew she couldn’t stay away from it.” Both boys looked at Satsuki, serious expressions on their faces as she turned to look at you, “_____-chan has always been the strong one in our group. Even stronger than Aomine-kun… But.. That’s **why** she was the easiest to read. I already knew that even if she chose to quit, she would’ve returned for the very same reason.”  
  
“_____-cchi said she quit because she couldn’t stand the thought of playing the same sport as the people she hated…” Kise sighed, his eyes downcast, “I didn’t realize she hated us so much.”  
  
“Well then, you’re not listening to what Momoi-san is saying.” Kasamatsu spoke, taking a sip of his drink.  
  
Kise’s eyebrow raised as his captain continued, “If _____-san really hated you, she wouldn’t have bothered to get back into basketball. It seems to me she’s trying to make you see what loving the sport really means. Just like Kuroko.”  
  
Satsuki smiled, “Besides, _____-chan wouldn’t give up a sport she has good memories of. Especially when they’re related to her father.”  
  
The boys looked at her with wide eyes, “Eh? You knew Momo-cchi?!”  
  
She nodded, a frown on her lips, “Coach Harasawa told me when he heard about it. Well.. he actually told me this year, when he realized ____-chan was [Your father’s last name]’s daughter. He was surprised to hear she’d gone to Touou. He was under the assumption she was going to be attending Kaijou.”  
  
Both boys looked at each other before Kasamatsu’s eyebrow raised, “Why would she go to Kaijou?”  
  
She bit her lip, releasing a sigh, “It seems _____-chan’s father really wanted her to go there. I don’t know the reason why, as the coach didn’t tell me, but I’m guessing he didn’t know either.”  
  
“But how did he know ____-cchi was his friend’s daughter? She didn’t have his last name.”  
  
“Apparently, he’d been keeping in contact with her father since before ____-chan was born. When he heard about the divource, he was told _____-chan would be keeping her mother’s last name.”  
  
They all sat in silence, trying to contemplate what to do. At least Satsuki was caught up in the situation and had a general idea of what was happening. Still, there was one thing that bugged the blonde.  
  
“Did ____-cchi ever tell you about her and Aominecchi’s relationship?”  
  
Satsuki was caught off guard at this question, but she closed her eyes and smiled,  
  
“She didn’t tell me… Aomine-kun did.”  
  
This caused both boys to look at you, wondering just how much you’d been keeping from them. Kasamatsu felt like an outsider, since he didn’t go to Teiko with any of you, but he could somewhat understand the situation. He tried to only speak when asked however, since he didn’t know enough to actually say anything.  
  
“Maybe the reason she didn’t tell anyone was because she wasn’t sure how you’d react.”  
  
“Eh? What do you mean senpai?”  
  
Sighing, he rubbed the back of his head, looking at his kouhai, “I mean, all of you were going through hard times right? With how strong you were getting and dealing with your own issues.. Maybe she didn’t want Aomine to deal with any other emotional issues besides the ones he already had.” Turning his head back towards you, he spoke, “Perhaps she was having her own inner demons at the same time, and she didn’t want to drag anyone else with her.”  
  
Slamming his hand on the table, Kise yelled, “But we’re her friends! Why wouldn’t she come to us?!”  
  
“Didn’t you hear me, idiot?” Kasamatsu whispered angrily, smacking him on the head, “From what I heard her say outside, it seemed to me like she didn’t think you guys **were** friends. If you guys were always busy with basketball and your own emotional issues, do you really think you’d have time to help her?”  
  
“Besides Ki-chan.. She had tried approaching you and the others… _**several**_ times… But none of you cared. You were only interested in winning, and I think… that’s what broke her.”  
  
Kise looked at his captain and Satsuki, golden eyes wide. His eyes lowered, staring at you with such a look of sadness, neither of them knew what to say. He was beating himself up over being selfish and causing you pain. But yet, not once had your words seem to be of hatred.  
  
It sounded as though it hurt you to say those words.  
  
Sighing, he rested a hand on his face, trying to hide the few tears that begged to be let out. He wasn’t going to be selfish any more, and he was going to prove to you he played as a team now.  
  
He never wanted to see you broken.  
  
“Momo-cchi…”  
  
She hummed, reaching a hand to stroke your hair, adjusting the facecloth on your forehead.  
  
Taking a deep breath, he sighed, “Does Aominecchi know about her father’s death?”  
  
“I don’t think so. Even if he did, I doubt it would matter much. It’s not like _____-chan would ask for comfort anyway.”  
  
Kise was about to open his mouth when a pillow flew at him, hitting him in the face. Kasamatsu and Satsuki looked in your direction, seeing your eyes were open, a frown on your face, as you tried to sit up. The facecloth fell from your head, hitting the carpeted floor, as a sigh escaped your lips.  
  
“Must you ask such ridiculous questions, Ryouta?”  
  
“____-chan! You should sleep more!”  
  
Rubbing your head, you looked at the girl, “I’m fine, Satsuki. Please don’t yell.”  
  
“But you haven’t been sleeping properly! You need to rest.”  
  
Shaking your head, your fists clenched, “If I sleep, it won’t change what’s been done. And I can’t just sit still. I need to practice.”  
  
Kasamatsu sighed, placing a hand on your shoulder and shoving you down, causing you to look at him in shock.  
  
“We understand what you want to do, ______.” You blinked when he’d dropped the honorific from your name, “But overworking yourself won’t do anything. You need to rest.” he flicked your forehead, irritation on his face at your behaviour, “And don’t shoulder everything by yourself, idiot! The strong ones know when to lean on others for support. I get your team isn’t one for comfort, but you have Momoi-san, as well as Kuroko and Kise. And after today, you have me and the rest of Kaijou to support you.”  
  
You watched as a small smile graced the captain’s lips, his steel-blue eyes radiating confidence, “So don’t try to hide anything from us. You try to again and I’ll hit you!”  
  
Kise blinked, his eyes wide at his captain’s words. For some reason, he felt as though Kasamatsu was talking to not just you, but him as well.  
  
“Senpai…”  
  
You didn’t know what to say, hearing those words from the usual stuttering captain with such confidence made you feel warm. The cold feeling in your chest started to melt away after his speech, and it made tears fall from your eyes again. But for reasons you couldn’t explain. Satsuki’s hand rested on your head, causing you to look at her in shock. She held a smile of her own, and you could see she wanted to cry but kept it back for your sake.  
  
But it was when Ryouta wrapped you in his arms once more that made you realize what the captain meant. You were never alone, but always thought you were because of everything that happened at Teiko. When everyone split and went their own ways, you’d felt some sort of resentment towards them because you felt they were abandoning you.  
  
However, they were always there, even if they weren’t physically beside you.  
  
“R-Ryouta… I’m-”  
  
“Don’t.”  
  
His voice was more serious than usual, causing you to freeze in shock. Sensing this, Kise found himself sighing, a hand cradling your head as he held you to his chest, eyes narrowed at the wall behind him.  
  
“I don’t want to hear an apology, ______.” You blinked at the drop of the -cchi from your name, “If you apologize for something I did, I won’t forgive you. This was my fault for not paying attention to you.” He scoffed, a dry chuckle escaping his lips, “I can’t even call you my best friend after that. But I’m not going to do that any more. Let me prove I can be your support… Let me prove I can **be** your best friend.”  
  
Your breath hitched, completely surprised at the seriousness in his voice, unable to respond to his request. Instead, you buried your face in his neck, his arms tightening around you, you clutched his shirt, tears staining his skin. Satsuki watched with happiness as you and Kise hugged each other tightly, smiles on your faces. When Kise pulled back, he wiped some of the tears from your eyes, feeling himself chuckle,  
  
“Man, ____-cchi… I didn’t know you had this many tears.”  
  
You scowled, eyebrows furrowed at his accusation before you lightly punched him in the shoulder. It really felt like back in middle school, the tension clear and resolved.  
  
“S-Shut up, idiot! You’re crying too!”  
  
Rubbing the back of his head, he grinned, “Yeah but I’m not the one who’s embarrassed. And I should be since my captain is right here.”  
  
Heat rushed to your cheeks as you pouted, arms crossing over your chest. Satsuki and Kise laughed at your behaviour, while Kasamatsu gave a smile at seeing you return to normal.  
  
“Ne, senpai. I bet ____-cchi would be happy if you hugged her.”  
  
Both you and Kasamatsu smacked him, blushes on your faces.  
  
“What’s that supposed to mean, idiot?!”  
  
“Don’t say stupid shit like that brat!”  
  
Satsuki winced at Kise, who now laid on the floor in a heap. But she couldn’t stop laughing at seeing the two of you frowning at the blonde. Neither would look at each other and she found it amusing how you’d act like this towards another captain. But, in a way, she found herself happy you were opening up to other people, even if they didn’t go to their school.  
  
“Ignore Ryouta’s nonsense, Kasamatsu-senpai. He enjoys embarrassing other people.”  
  
Giggles interrupted the silence, causing you to look at the pinkette, who sat in the chair, covering her lips to try and cover the sound. You felt so happy seeing her happy and smiling, it caused your lips to curl into a sincere smile, making everyone in the room look at you in shock.  
  
You suddenly found yourself laughing loudly at their reactions.  
  
You weren’t even sure what was causing you to laugh. Maybe it was because things weren’t so awkward between everyone. Or maybe it was because you’d been worrying over what Satsuki would think if you’d been hanging out with Kise and Kasamatsu more.  
  
You weren’t really sure, but before you knew it, both Satsuki and Ryouta had tackled you into a hug, causing you to land into Kasamatsu’s lap. Said captain found himself holding onto your arms, trying to stable you in his lap, but Kise’s and Satsuki’s weight was pushing you further into him and he wasn’t sure if he should smack Kise or yell at the three of you.  
  
It was when you’d looked up at him, eyes twinkling brightly in happiness, smiling bright at him that made him pause,  
  
“Loosen up, Yukio-senpai. You’re with a bunch of immature children right now.”  
  
While he should’ve felt angry for not being addressed formally, Kasamatsu found himself smiling a bit instead. His hand reached out, lightly bonking you in the head, just as a flash went off, catching everyone off guard.  
  
Kise found himself smiling happily as he pressed further into you and Kasamatsu, Satsuki on your other side, squishing the poor captain as he yelled,  
  
“Smile for having the best senpai ever!”  
  
A few hours later, after the boys left your house, Kise had been kicked several times.

* * *

Aomine wasn’t sure what made him decide to visit you the next day, but the nagging feeling of needing to see you wouldn’t leave his mind. He’d been too lost in his thoughts to text or call, in case you weren’t home, and he found himself face palming at his own stupidity.  
  
He hated when Satsuki was right.  
  
The letter in his pocket had never felt heavier than it did now, and he couldn’t stop thinking about what was contained inside. He didn’t know exactly, but judging from the letter he read, it was definitely something you’d want to read. He still didn’t understand why he was given a letter from a man he barely knew, had only met briefly once during a hot summer’s day. But whatever the reason, he knew Aomine had a close relationship with you.  
  
Or rather, **had.**  
  
His initial plan was to go there, drop the letter in your mailbox, and leave before he was caught. However, whether it was by sheer coincidence or fate, you’d just opened the door at the exact moment he was about to place the envelope inside. He’d never felt so nervous before, and he was mentally cursing at his own weakness.  
  
He’d been staring at you, trying to decipher the look in your eyes, but found himself unable to do so. Fidgeting slightly under your gaze, he coughed into his hand, trying his best to keep a neutral expression on his face. He watched as the brief feel of wind caressed your face, blowing a strand of hair near his hand. As though being burned, he’d taken a step back, unsure of what to say.  
  
“D-Daiki…”  
  
It was the sound of his first name from your lips that snapped him from his trance, his hand moving on its own. He tried opening his mouth, secretly hoping any sort of sound, be it a grunt or a 'humph’ would escape his lips, but instead he found himself thrusting the envelope into your hand, letting go when you’d grasped the white paper in your hand. Just as he’d been there, he found himself turning around, walking down your steps back to his home.  
  
He’d paused for a brief moment, turning his navy blue eyes towards you, vaguely hearing a gasp escape your lips. He wasn’t sure how long he’d been staring at you, holding your eyes with his own, but he’d felt he was able to somewhat communicate his feelings towards you in that moment. Just as he’d felt cornered, he’d dropped his expression, his head turning away from you and he found himself walking back home.  
  
He wasn’t sure what giving you this letter would accomplish, or if anything was going to happen. But he’d been able to carry out the dying man’s wish, and he’d be satisfied with that.  
  
 **For now.**

* * *

You’d been getting ready to head to the store when you’d found Aomine outside your door. You weren’t sure what to make of the situation that just occurred, but the feel of the envelope confirmed it was real, and you weren’t dreaming. But you definitely found it odd at how he was behaving.  
  
You’d hadn’t seen _that_ look since middle school.  
  
Shaking your head, you took a deep breath as you flipped the envelope over, revealing your full name written neatly in black cursive writing. You knew there was only one person who’d address you by your full name, and you found yourself shuddering briefly. Slowly opening the closed envelope, you carefully pulled out the white and blue piece of paper, containing more of the beautiful font you’d just seen previously.  
  
Quickly closing the door, you’d found yourself leaning against it, eyes widening as you slowly began to read what he’d just given you.  
  
 _'Dear _______,’_  
  
You knew you weren’t going shopping any time soon, and suddenly, the floor had become your companion, your best friend, and somehow, your comfort.


	7. All I see is you...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An unexpected guest makes his appearance, while you come to terms with the past... And your father's wishes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another long chapter, with some... interesting scenes... Even when I look back on it, it's hard to believe I wrote it sometimes haha. But, I hope you continue to enjoy this!

_‘What are you doing up here, Daiki? Aren’t you supposed to be at practice?’_   
  
_The bluenette looked up from his magazine into your eyes, filled with a bored expression. He tried to decipher your look, but had no energy to try. He scoffed, turning his gaze to the sky, feeling you sit down beside him,_   
  
_'You want me to try and practice with people weaker than me? What’s the point in that?’_   
  
_You opened your mouth, attempting to say something,_ **anything,** _to the prodigy but released a sigh instead._   
  
_'I don’t know.. It would make Satsuki happy if you at least attempted to show… She’s always nagging at me to get you to go.’ you looked at him from the corner of your eye, 'I feel bad every time I have to tell her you’re not going.’_   
  
_He released a sigh, eyes closing as his eyebrows furrowed,_   
  
_'You’re too soft, _____.’_   
  
_Not sure whether to take it as an insult or a compliment, you remained silent. You weren’t even sure if it was worth defending yourself, or even bothering pressing him further on the issue. Instead, you sat there, eyes looking at the sky, yet seeing nothing. Ever since Aomine had met Imayoshi during their final year of Teiko, his personality had become colder, his eyes filled with zero emotion to anything._   
  
_Yet, there were little moments like these, where you’d see the old Aomine. The one that was calm and collected, eyes filled with a curious passion. He was always searching for that one opponent he could play his hardest, the person who loved basketball more than him. You remembered he went with Satsuki to meet up with Kuroko, and you’d heard he also challenged the ace of Seirin._   
  
_'How did that one-on-one go with Seirin’s ace?’_   
  
_He sighed once more, eyes opening as he looked up at you, noticing a different emotion within your eyes._   
  
_“What’s with all these questions? I thought you didn’t want anything to do with basketball, ____.”_   
  
_You shrugged, 'Well, since you took off on me and missed our date, I thought it was something worth asking about.’_   
  
_He scoffed, stretching his arms before propping his head up, 'It was a waste of time. I don’t even know what Tetsu sees in him. Then again, the only one who can beat me is me.’_   
  
_There was a dull ache in your chest at his words, but you only let out a sigh, not bothering to say any more on the issue. Upon hearing the sigh, he looked at you once more, finally seeing the frown on your lips and the faraway look in your eyes. His stomach churned in knots; finding himself at a loss of what he should do. Lately, you’ve been giving that look without realizing he’d been watching, and despite being beside him;_   
  
_You’d never seemed so far away._   
  
_Running a hand through your hair, you decided there was no need to stay any longer, having homework and chores to deal with at home. You were getting ready to stand when his hand stretched out, latching onto yours, causing you to look at him with wide eyes. Yanking you forward, you yelped, landing on his chest, causing you to blush and pout slightly, confusion taking over._   
  
_'Just stay here for a bit. I’ll walk you home later.’_   
  
_Remaining speechless, all you could do is swallow the lump in your throat, nodding at his request and laying on his chest. You got comfortable, your head buried in his neck as his arm snaked around your waist, keeping you close. Releasing a breath, you inhaled his scent, finding his warmth soothing yet slightly calming the inner turmoil within your heart._   
  
_Despite being with him, you couldn’t help feeling lonely._

* * *

It’d been almost a month since Aomine dropped off the letter, leaving you confused and filled with some anxiety. Why would he come out of his way to give you something your father wrote for you?  
  
Did he **know** your father?  
  
From your previous memories of being with him, not once had meeting your father ever come into the equation. You thought it was impossible, a trick of some kind, and you’d frantically searched your house high and low for any sort of paper with your father’s signature on it. After finally managing to find one, you’d lost what air you had in your lungs upon realizing the letter was indeed from your father and he’d come into contact with Aomine some time before his death. Which lead to the next couple questions;  
  
Did Aomine know he died? And if so, why did he keep it from you?  
  
Shaking your head, you weren’t going to find out answers sitting in your desk, staring out at the school grounds. You needed to ask your mother about this letter first. As much as you wanted to confront Aomine, a small part of you felt somewhat scared of asking him. You needed to sort out your feelings first, then ask those questions later.  
  
You’d been at your locker, switching out of your school shoes when Satsuki came running towards you, a smile on her face.  
  
“Ne, ____-chan! Are you gonna come watch the Seirin and Kirisaki Daichi match with me?”  
  
Closing the door, you gave her a small smile, “I’m sorry, Satsuki.. My mother comes home today and I told her at lunch I’d be home. If I’d been asked ahead of time, I might’ve said yes.”  
  
She waved her hands in front of her, eyes slightly wide, “N-No, don’t apologize ___-chan! I didn’t realize she was coming back today! It’s fine if you want to see her instead! Actually, the rest of the team is going and we’re dragging Aomine-kun with us so… I guess in a good way, it’s best if you aren’t going.”  
  
Lightly patting her on the head, you gave her a look that made her gasp, “Besides, Tetsu won’t lose. He made a promise to us right? He can’t fulfil it if he loses against **them**.” Giving her a wave, you walked away, not noticing the slight tear in her eyes, “Just call me after the game to let me know the score!”  
  
As Satsuki watched you walk away, she wiped the tear from her eye, her lips curling into a huge grin as she headed towards the gym where the rest of the team was waiting.  
  
’ ______-chan… You’re slowly starting to become like Aomine-kun from back then.. I’m so happy I can read you again.’_  
  


* * *

“I’m home!” You yelled as you entered your house.  
  
“____-chan?! Is that you?”  
  
A smile curled at your lips as you placed your bag down, hanging up your jacket. As you were taking off your shoes, your mother came into the hall, encircling you in a big hug, the familiar scent of roses filling your nose. Inhaling, your heart felt lighter than it’s ever been, your nerves calm and mind clear; feeling rather content.  
  
“Welcome back, mom.”  
  
Your mother noticed the difference in your attitude, raising an eyebrow while chuckling. Ruffling your hair, you lightly slapped her hand away, hearing her giggle and it’d thrown you back to a time when you were younger. That sudden memory made you blink, confusion filling your head and it reminded you of what you wanted to ask her about your father. You’d pulled away, searching through your bag for the letter and pulling it out to show her.  
  
“What’s this _____-chan?”  
  
You bit your lip, a sigh escaping your mouth as you looked into her confused eyes, “A letter addressed to me by father…”  
  
She paused, releasing a breath and for some reason, your body ran cold. You were trying to understand the expression in her eyes, uneasiness filling your body, and why she seemed suddenly so sad upon hearing you had that letter. Without another word, she’d pulled you out of the house, almost throwing you into the car and starting it up.  
  
Not only were you unable to change out of your uniform, you’d also left your phone in your jacket pocket, which was hanging up behind the door.  
  
“M-Mom? Why are you acting so weird?”  
  
As she backed out of your driveway, she ran a hand through her hair, releasing a breath as she tried to collect her thoughts.  
  
“Who told you?”  
  
You swallowed, hands clenching your skirt as you looked out the wind-shield. “Ryouta’s coach… Takeuchi-san. I think he was a friend of father’s and I guess he thought I’d already known since it was on the news. It seems everyone on Kaijou’s basketball team knew before me.” You paused, trying to take in her reaction, “Including Ryouta.”  
  
She bit her lip, sparing you a quick glance while keeping her eyes on the road. When you’d reached a stop light, she’d asked the next question,  
  
“Who gave you the letter?”  
  
You scratched your head, trying to decipher the hidden tone within her voice, “A friend of mine had it. He’d dropped it off about three weeks ago. I didn’t know any of my friends from Teiko knew dad, so it confused me. But I checked to make sure the letter was in his writing.” When you felt her continue driving, you found the courage to look at her, “It matched his signature..”  
  
She nodded, and you found your eyebrow raising at her weird behaviour. The tension was starting to rise in the car and you honestly didn’t want to be on bad terms with your mother after reuniting. Licking your lips, you rubbed your neck, hand slightly shaking as you shifted to look at her.  
  
“I’m not mad.”  
  
Upon hearing those words, your mom slammed her foot on the brake, causing you to jerk in your seat. When you looked up, you realized she’d stopped in front of Kaijou’s front gates, and this made you look at her with a confused expression.  
  
“W-What?”  
  
“I mean what I said.” you paused, taking in her shocked look, “If I’d found out last month or a few months back, maybe I would’ve been angry and could’ve possibly hated you.. But.. I’ve had time to reflect on it. And whatever reason you had for not telling me, it can wait. I know you wouldn’t have kept this from me unless you had a good reason. So, when you’re ready…” you exhaled, giving her a huge grin, “I’ll be ready to listen.”  
  
She swallowed, her eyes slightly prickling with tears as she pulled you into a hug, releasing a shaky breath. You returned it, lightly patting her head as you pressed a kiss to her cheek. Rubbing her arms, you pulled back, unbuckling your seatbelt. Her hand rested on your knee, making you pause as she fixed a strand of your hair.  
  
“I know you’re wondering why I brought you to Kaijou… But I’m sure Takeuchi-san can explain everything to you. Whatever he can’t, I’ll tell you later when you get back. I’ll be out late though since I have to pick up your father from work and then we’re doing a couple things after…” Upon realizing she referred to your stepdad as father, she paused, as though she said something wrong. You let out a laugh, patting her shoulder,  
  
“Mom, I’ve always thought of him as my dad. You can still call him that, don’t worry.”  
  
She let out a small chuckle, scratching her head as she looked at you, “I guess you’re right. I’m just worrying about it for no reason. I don’t want you to think he’s replaced him or something.”  
  
You rolled your eyes, opening the door to her car and getting out. As you got on her side, you gave her a quick wave as she drove away, your hand falling to your side as you let out a sigh. You turned your attention to Kaijou, a sudden feeling of dread filling your stomach. Shaking it off as nerves, you moved your legs towards the gym, where you knew you’d find the one person who could answer your questions.  
  


* * *

Nakamura had been heading towards the gym when he’d spotted you walking that way. His eyebrow rose, wondering why you’d be here when everyone else had left for the match. Without trying to answer these pesky questions, he found himself jogging towards you, calling out your name, which made you pause and give him a bow.  
  
“Good afternoon, Nakamura-kun.”  
  
He nodded, adjusting his glasses, “It’s been a while, ___-san. What brings you to Kaijou?”  
  
Scratching your head, you shifted on your feet, hands balling into slight fists to calm the shaking, “Ahh.. I’m actually here to see Takeuchi-san… Is he available?”  
  
He looked ahead, seeing a few of the second string players already practising, “I don’t see why not. You can walk with me and we’ll see. He should be in his office.”  
  
You exhaled, giving him a smile, “Thank you.”  
  
He slightly frowned, scratching the back of his head, “You don’t have to thank me. Someone who has a connection with the coach is always welcome here.”  
  
You followed beside him, the air around you calm and peaceful. At first glance, you thought Nakamura was the serious type, which you found out to be true. But he was polite to others, at least those he felt deserved to be treated that way. You couldn’t help but be reminded of how Ryouta used to be. A frown curled at your lips upon remembering the blonde, and you didn’t realize the other members of Kaijou’s basketball team were staring at you until you’d looked back at them, trying to locate the first string members.  
  
Your heart slightly ached when none were in the gym.  
  
“____-chan… It’s been a while.”  
  
You’d been brought out of your musings when you saw the older male and you gave him a bow.  
  
“I apologize for not calling sooner. I hope I didn’t catch you at a bad time.”  
  
He shook his head, placing a hand on your shoulder, “Of course not. It’s only the second and third string practising. The first string are at the Seirin game.”  
  
Blinking, you gave a sad smile, “It seems everyone is interested in that game.”  
  
He noticed your expression but didn’t say anything, not wanting to pry. Instead, he welcomed you into his office, offering a seat while he closed the door. He watched you for a few moments, his expression neutral and observant. You spun in his chair, taking in the appearance of his small office. It reminded you of your father’s old study, a sense of familiarity filling your mind, quelling your thoughts. However, you frowned, trying to figure out how to address the issue at hand.  
  
“I’m sorry… Takeuchi-san.. Now that I’m here.. I’m trying to figure out the words to say.”  
  
Scratching his beard, he patted your head, “It’s fine, _____-chan. I’m guessing your mother dropped you off.”  
  
You nodded, taking in his serious nature, “As soon as I mentioned a letter, she rushed me out the door. It was as though she knew something like this would happen. I guess she felt you would know more about it.”  
  
He blinked, an eyebrow raised upon hearing this information, “Do you have it with you?”  
  
You reached into your Touou blazer, pulling out the letter, slightly confused.  
  
Did your mom put this back without you knowing?  
  
Shaking your head, you gave it to him, watching with curious eyes as the Kaijou coach scanned through it, his eyebrows furrowing. He scratched his head, releasing a breath before handing it back to you. Placing it back in your pocket, you moved out of the way as Takeuchi opened his drawer, pulling out a set of keys and placing them in your hands.  
  
“Everything you need to know is in your house, ____-chan. The reason your mother hadn’t torn down the house after the fire is because it was part of your father’s will to leave it until you grabbed the possessions he left inside. Once you were done with the place, it was up to you whether to tear it down and rebuild or sell the property.” You blinked, looking at the small ring holding three keys, before looking up at him. “Also..” He reached beside his desk for a small plastic bag, handing it to you with a small frown. “Your father left this in my care, hoping I’d give it to you when you came to Kaijou.”  
  
You looked at him with wide eyes, trying to digest this information. You took a look inside, pulling out a Kaijou jacket with your father’s last name woven into the back. The Kaijou symbol was on the front, and the jacket looked as though it was a perfect fit for you. Your breath hitched, flipping the jacket around to take in the intricate detail on the fabric.  
  
“He thought I would come here?”  
  
“I’m not sure why, maybe it was because he graduated from here, but he said to give this to you, regardless if you attended here or not.” He placed a hand on your shoulder, “Your father was always a team player, ____-chan. You have no idea how happy he was when he found out you wanted to play the same sport as him. He was slightly worried, when you were born, that you’d end up like your mother and not like sports.”  
  
Feeling the keys in your palm, you inhaled, sliding into the jacket, which happened to be a perfect fit.  
  
Oddly enough, it didn’t feel weird wearing another school’s jacket.  
  
You zipped it up, placing the keys inside your new jacket before giving him a smile.  
  
“Thank you, Takeuchi-san. This means a lot to me.”  
  
At this, he gave you a small smile, patting your head, “You don’t have to thank me, ____-chan. Any time you need to get away, we’ll always welcome you with open arms. We’ll support you.”  
  
When those words hit your mind, you were reminded of the words the hot-headed captain had spoken to you a few weeks back,  
  
 _'You have me and the rest of Kaijou to support you.’_  
  
Blinking back the couple tears, you gave him a huge mega-watt smile, causing the coach’s eyes to widen slightly,  
  
“Honestly, you guys are too good to me. The next time I come for a visit, I’ll make sure Ryouta and the others are here.”  
  
He nodded, “You should try to come whenever you’re free. I know they won’t say it out loud, but Kise and Kasamatsu were very concerned about you. The other first string wouldn’t stop teasing them about it. Kise would always check his phone during practice, hoping you’d send him a text and Kasamatsu would hit him for being distracted.”  
  
You bowed, rubbing the back of your head, “I apologize, I didn’t realize they were that concerned. I knew how busy they were with studies and the Winter Cup. I didn’t want to intrude on their time.” You glanced at the clock, realizing you should get going if you wanted to check out the house. “That said, I don’t have much time. I think I’ll go take a look at the house now.”  
  
The coach nodded, opening the door and walking you out to the back. You gave Nakamura a quick wave, which he nodded back before returning to practice, and you gave the coach one last bow. He gave you one last pat on the shoulder, which you gave him a smile back as you headed out the back gates, going through a short cut to get to your father’s house.  
  
As he watched you, Takeuchi couldn’t shake the nervous feeling he had in the pit of his stomach.  
  


* * *

Kise couldn’t shake the feeling of dread in his stomach. It wasn’t that bad when he got to Tokyo to watch the match with Kasamatsu and the rest of his team. But as it reached half-time, a small part of his mind wandered to you. It’s been almost a month since he’d spoken with you. He flipped open his phone, looking at the wallpaper of him, you, Satsuki and Kasamatsu, causing his lips to curl into a small smile.  
  
When he’d arrived, he saw Touou on the other side of the stadium, but you were nowhere to be seen. It’s not like he was expecting you to show up with them, after hearing you were rather awkward with the team. He knew if you did show up, you’d be sitting with Satsuki somewhere else. But he’d taken a look around the entire stadium, and you didn’t show up at all.  
  
Politely excusing himself, he stood up from his spot, ignoring the concerned looks from his team mates as he headed for the doors. Going out the first door closest to his spot, he searched his phone for your number, pressing the call button and waiting for you to answer. He’d tried two more times before giving up, an exhausted sigh escaping his lips. Running a hand through his hair, he pressed his phone to his lips, trying to calm his racing heart.  
  
’ _Why aren’t you answering, ____-cchi?’_  
  
Taking a deep breath, he scrolled through his contacts once more, finding your mother’s number and hitting the call button. Placing the phone to his ear, he waited less time as your mother had picked up on the second ring,  
  
’ _Ryouta?’_  
  
“____-san! Is ____-cchi with you?”  
  
There was a brief pause before she replied, _'I dropped her off at Kaijou about a half hour ago. I can’t pick her up unfortunately as I’m busy all evening. She was already made aware of this.’_  
  
Releasing a sigh, his hand clutched his jacket as his eyes closed, “Alright. Thank you so much, ____-san. I’ll make sure she gets home.”  
  
With that, he hung up, eyes slightly widening as he ingested the information. Golden eyes stared at nothing in particular as he mentally cursed at his shaking hand. He took one last look at the wallpaper, biting his lip, before placing it back in his pocket and heading back to his seat.  
  
Dammit. Why couldn’t he shake this uneasiness?  
  
 _’____-cchi… You better be safe.’_

* * *

You couldn’t shake the uneasiness in your stomach.  
  
You knew you were being watched by the coach until you’d gotten to the streets, where the trees had blocked your view of Kaijou. Still, despite knowing no one was watching you, you couldn’t shake the feeling of being followed. Rubbing your arms, you inhaled the smell from the jacket, the familiarity of the gym somewhat quelling the emotions swirling within your gut. When you reached the house, you took a deep breath, mentally preparing yourself for old memories and overwhelming emotions threatening to swallow you whole.  
  
Inserting the biggest key into the door knob, you heard the 'click’ as the door turned open, the hallway greeting you with a somewhat eerily feeling. It felt weird being back in the house you grew up in, despite the circumstances. Still, you could feel awkward tension in the air, sending shivers down your spine. Inhaling, you shut the door behind you, taking in the place. Despite the torn down roof and fire damage, your house had been in pretty good shape.  
  
Using the light from the outside, you walked through the hall. Footsteps echoed through the house as you explored the main floor. While you couldn’t go upstairs, a part of you was secretly glad for that, not wanting to see your old room. Exhaling, you headed into the living room, taking slow, cautious steps. Despite the chill in the air, the jacket kept you shielded, and you’d never been thankful for wearing it.  
  
Just as you took a step, you’d tripped on the carpet, causing you to hit the floor. Grumbling, you looked back, noticing a small hidden door peeking through the fabric. There was a small lock, prompting you to look at the set of keys in your hand. Finding the one which fit the pattern, you inserted the key, moving it to the left, hearing a small 'click’. As you took the lock off, you opened the door, squinting inside and saw a metal box shine within the light. Blinking, you reached inside, pulling the object out and blowing off the dust.  
  
Your name was engraved in the top, causing your breath to hitch. Rather than open it here, you sealed the hole back up, covering it with the carpet you tripped on. Standing up, you’d decided you spent enough time here, the horrible feeling from earlier worsening with each moment passing. It hadn’t left since Kaijou, but you weren’t sure what the connection was. Heading out the living room, you noticed a piece of paper on the floor, causing your eyebrows to furrow.  
  
Did you walk by it?  
  
Bending down, you picked up the piece of paper, noticing it was once again written in your father’s writing. You skimmed through the letter, eyes widening and your face paled upon reaching the end.  
  
’ _No… He wouldn’t… Would he…?’_  
  
A sense of dread filled your being once more, almost causing you to throw up. Without a second thought, you’d bolted out of the house, slamming the door behind you. Your mind was blank, trying to absorb what the letter suggested. Your father would never lie about that, and **he** does have a violent nature.  
  
Still… You couldn’t believe he would actually go through with that.  
  
“Well… Well… Well.. Look who’s here all by herself.”  
  
You froze, fear filling your veins, causing you to shake as you turned around slowly, eyes widening at the person standing behind you.  
  
“H-Haizaki!”  
  


* * *

Seirin had won the match, securing their place in the Winter Cup. It wasn’t a surprise Shutoku won their match, meaning everyone from the Generation of Miracles would be participating. Kise couldn’t help but feel excited to test his strength against his old team mates. Knowing he’d be able to play against Seirin once more made a rush of adrenaline burst through his veins.  
  
He’d almost forgotten about you. **Almost.**  
  
When he got off the bus with the rest of his team, the knots in his stomach tightened further, and he found himself almost short of breath. His shoulders were tense, eyes narrowed in worry and anger, causing the other four to keep their distance. They’d reached Hayakawa’s stop first, but the usual loud male remained silent, settling on waving his goodbye before walking home.  
  
When the four of them reached Kise’s stop, they watched as he hesitated, his posture tight. He looked at his phone, eyebrows furrowing deeper, the worry evident in his golden eyes when he turned to look at his team from the corner of his eye. There was tension and concern mixed together, and this alerted the rest of his team. They hadn’t seen this look in a while. Releasing a sigh, he turned around fully, facing Kasamatsu completely as he addressed the older male,  
  
“Senpai…”

* * *

“W-What are you doing here?” you spat, trying to cover the fear threatening to take over. This only made him chuckle, his eyebrow raised as he walked towards you. He looked you up and down, taking in your appearance. His eyebrow furrowed, a hint of anger within his eyes when he saw the Kaijou jacket on your body.  
  
Scoffing, he licked his thumb, a sneer on his lips, “What’s this? I thought you followed Daiki, ____-chan. Don’t tell me you’re cheating on him with Ryouta.”  
  
You glowered at him, anger seeping through your skin upon his implications, “Answer the question, bastard! What are you doing here?!”  
  
He looked up at the sky, the light from the lamp making his presence more menacing, “I had no real reason to be here. I just found it odd how dear ____-chan was walking alone. You’re normally surrounded by men.”  
  
You bit your lip hard, a growl escaping your throat as you took a step back, “Tch. As if I’d need to be surrounded by others. I don’t need attention. And I’d never do something like that to either Ryouta or Daiki! I don’t use people, Haizaki. I’m not **you**.”  
  
At this, he paused, eyes narrowing dangerously at your words. You took a deep breath, swallowing the lump in your throat at the threatening look on his face. “Careful what you say, ___-chan. I won’t hold back, not even on you.” His lips curled into a sickening grin, your eyes widening slightly at the predatory look, “I hurt you once… I’ll gladly do it again.”  
  
Before you could blink, he ran after you, his fist poised out in front of him, ready to strike. You’d managed to block it with your arm, a slight pain of look crossed your features as you skid back in the dirt. The box fell from your hands, causing you to slightly panic. As you tried to reach out for it, Haizaki kicked it into the tree. His hand reached out, picking you up off the ground while the other unzipped your jacket. You glared at him, placing a hand on his as you attempted to struggle. He managed to separate you from the jacket, tossing you to the ground as you watched wide eyed at the jacket being stomped on beneath his feet.  
  
“Seeing you in that jacket makes me sick. You don’t look good in blue.”  
  
Gasping for air, you coughed, shakily standing on your feet. Haizaki ran after you again; you managed to duck, fully turning around and kicking him in the back, sending him a few feet away from you. You grabbed the jacket, running towards the tree and covering the box with it.  
  
Just as you turned around, his hand smacked you across the cheek, knocking your back into the tree. You gasped as his hand wrapped around your throat, eyes narrowing as he squeezed your neck, causing you to cry out in pain. You bit your lip, trying to keep quiet, not wanting to alert the surrounding neighbourhood of your issues.  
  
You didn’t need anyone, you were capable of saving yourself.  
  
He chuckled darkly, his mouth against your ear,  
  
“Go ahead. Scream out for help. No one is going to save you. Ryouta is too much of a pansy to fight me and Daiki is in Tokyo. He has no reason to be here.”  
  
Your eyes started to prickle, a single tear slipping out against your wishes despite trying to hold them back. Upon seeing this, his face curled into a darker grin, his teeth nipping at your ear, causing you to tense. Your eyes narrowed, your hand curling into a fist as you slammed him in the face. He stumbled back, his grip loosening and you sent him a kick to his gut, a grunt escaping his lips. You managed to escape his grasp, grabbing your things and putting distance between the two of you.  
  
You leaned forward, feeling the pain in your knees from being thrown against the ground. You sucked in a large amount of air, trying to regulate your breathing. No matter how much you told yourself to remain calm, your hands wouldn’t stop shaking. You felt a trickle from your cheek, prompting you to raise a finger to the skin. Feeling the scratch, you pulled the finger back, seeing blood on the tip of your finger and your body froze in anger.  
  
Finding the words to speak, you attempted to clear your throat, “I don’t need to be saved! I can defend myself asshole! You’re the piece of shit that hasn’t changed. You still pick fights with people, beating them up if they try to oppose you. I’m glad Akashi forced you to quit!”  
  
He finally stood up, eyes glaring down at you, “I don’t care about basketball. It’s something I do to kill time. Besides,” he leered at you, sending shudders down your spine, “I still haven’t gotten my revenge on Ryouta. I intended on doing so at the Winter Cup, but since I ran into you, I thought I’d get back at him a different way.”  
  
He slowly walked towards you once more, his presence ever so intimidating. You were trying to ingest his words, not believing he decided to play once more after quitting. You inhaled, fully prepared to run, when he charged at you. Just as you turned the other way, pain shot through your leg, causing you to gasp as you buckled under your own weight. You expected to meet the dirt, hand already out to catch you, but you fell into a warm chest instead. Your head was still slightly directed in Haizaki’s direction, catching the sight of his fist in the corner of your eye as they shut, preparing for the worst. Upon feeling arms tighten around you, Haizaki grunting as though he was pushed, your eyes snapped open, seeing nothing but beige in your vision.  
  
“Are you okay, ______?”  
  
The familiar deep voice brought a sense of relief to your insides, hands clutching the fabric tightly to support yourself. You let out a shaky breath, feeling air returning to your lungs, and looked up into a pair of very deep steel-blue eyes. You blinked, eyes widening upon recognizing the older third year.  
  
“Y-Yukio-senpai!”  
  
“Oi, who the fuck are you assholes?!”  
  
Upon hearing Haizaki’s voice, you turned from the captain’s eyes to see Kobori and Moriyama standing in front. Their attention was completely focused on the younger male, who sent them nasty glares.  
  
“K-Kobori-senpai! M-Moriyama-senpai!” You stuttered out, unable to process the situation.  
  
Moriyama turned his head slightly, looking at you with a strained smile. Kobori kept his eyes locked ahead, his expression serious and angered.  
  
“It’s been a while, ____-chan.”  
  
You were about to open your mouth, question why they were here and how they found you, but Kobori’s voice cut you off.  
  
“Did he do this to you?”  
  
You could feel the tension in the air, their eyes fixed on you. Turning your gaze to the ground, you couldn’t even bare the thought of looking at them, too ashamed to be caught in this situation. Haizaki laughed upon realizing this, causing the seniors to look at him with mixed emotions.  
  
“Of course I was the one who did that to her! She had it coming, associating with trash like them! Besides, do you see anyone else around, dumbass?”  
  
Kobori went to move, anger coursing through his veins at the disrespect, but Moriyama put a hand out, stopping the center.  
  
“He’s only trying to get under our skin, Kobori. If we try to fight and someone sees us, we won’t be allowed to play in the Winter Cup.”  
  
He wanted to rebel against it, shout at him for what he did to you, but Kasamatsu’s voice cut in, effectively shutting his mouth,  
  
“Moriyama’s right, Kobori. Don’t try to fight him. We need to get _____ out of here.”  
  
“Tch.” This caught everyone’s attention, your teeth biting into your lower lip as Kasamatsu helped keep you upright. Their eyes were directed at the male, who stood with a hand on his hip, “I could careless what you do with her. She’s just trash anyway. Always being saved by someone, pretending she’s tough.” At this, you snapped your head up, eyes narrowing into a glare, something Kasamatsu noticed as your body tensed. “It’s no wonder both Daiki and Ryouta ditched your ass. They probably got sick of being with a whiny, pain in the ass like you.”  
  
You growled, attempting to lunge at him when the captain held you against his chest, his hand wrapped around your waist,  
  
“The only pain in the ass here is you, you piece of shit! It’s no wonder you never became part of the Generation of Miracles! Everyone hated your ass and you were a disgrace to basketball! You were replaced by Ryouta just as fast as he joined the team and you can’t stand knowing that!”  
  
Everyone looked at you, eyes wide at this information. Whoever this guy was, you had a history with him. He even knew their ace and was replaced by him during their time in Teiko.  
  
He sneered, wiping his face before turning around, “It’s a shame these assholes interfered. I was looking forward to catching up, ____-chan.”  
  
Scoffing, you looked at him with a disgusted face, “Over my dead body, bastard!”  
  
All you heard was laughter as he walked away with hands in his pockets. Everyone watched with angered expressions until he was completely out of sight. They released a sigh, turning to look at you, concerned at your appearance. Kasamatsu cupped your cheek, bringing your gaze towards him as he inspected the damage with a frown.  
  
“Damn… He really got you good, ____.”  
  
His finger lightly grazed the cut, causing you to flinch in pain. Your lips curled into a frown, trying to relax your tense muscles and quell the uneasiness in your stomach.  
  
If they hadn’t come in time….  
  
A hand on your shoulder jolted you from that thought, prompting you to look into concerned brown eyes.  
  
“Are you hurt?”  
  
Releasing a heavy sigh, you shook your head, “..N-No..” They watched as you winced, noticing your legs shaking and spamming. Kasamatsu got on his knees, inspecting your legs. He saw the bruises painting your skin and his eyebrows furrowed.  
  
“Kobori, can you carry her?”  
  
You blinked, eyes wide at the suggestion, “W-What? I can walk on my-”  
  
“Shut up, idiot!” he scorned, causing you to take a slight step back upon hearing the worry laced in his tone. He flicked your forehead, causing you to rub your head slightly, “You can’t hide it from me! You’re hurt so stop trying to act tough and let us help you!”  
  
You looked at the ground, after realizing they were trying to be there for you, feeling guilty for making them worry. Swallowing, you nodded, watching from the corner of your eye as Kobori got on his knees. Hopping onto his back, you wrapped your arms and legs around his body as he held onto you gently. Moriyama ruffled your hair softly, prompting a smile from you lips.  
  
“Despite you looking like this, you’re still beautiful ___-chan.”  
  
You giggled, a blush lightly covering your cheeks, as Kasamatsu rolled his eyes. He punched the shooting guard in the stomach, a frown on his lips,  
  
“This is serious, idiot!”  
  
Rubbing his stomach, Moriyama pouted, “But ___-chan needs to know how beautiful she is!”  
  
Patting his shoulder, you smiled, “Thank you, Moriyama-senpai.”  
  
Kobori looked at Kasamatsu, “We should go to my house. It’s closer and we can ask ____ about what happened.”  
  
Both seniors nodded, proceeding to start walking. You were about to open your mouth, not wanting to leave your possessions behind, when Kasamatsu walked towards them, picking the items up carefully. He wrapped the box inside the jacket, holding it against his chest, and turned to look at you, noticing your expression.  
  
“I’m assuming these belong to you?”  
  
You nodded and the raven-haired teen noticed the softening look in your eyes, as though they meant the world to you.  
  
“Alright then. If we have everything, let’s go. That idiot is probably waiting for us.”  
  
Feeling too tired to ask who he was referring to, you rested your head on Kobori’s shoulder, enjoying the walk to his place.  
  


* * *

When you got there, the first thing you did was use the washroom. Releasing a sigh, you buried your head in your hands, trying not to cry now you were alone. A knock startled you, causing you to peek your head through a crack in the door. There, you saw the center standing outside with a pair of his clothes.  
  
“I figured I could loan you a set of clean clothes while I wash your uniform.”  
  
Giving him a smile, you nodded, “Thank you, Kobori-senpai!”  
  
Quickly taking the clothes, you shut the door once more, slowly undressing out of your uniform. Running a hand through your hair, you noticed the thin line on your cheek was in the same place as the first one. Lightly, you caressed the scar, wincing as it stung.  
  
It was deja vu all over again.  
  
Taking a hair tie from your blazer pocket, along with the note tucked away, you put your hair up, leaving your bangs to cover your eyes. Cleaning the dirt off your face, you dried your skin softly, to lessen the sting.  
  
As you left the bathroom, you carried your uniform in your arms, feeling a sense of comfort. When you reached the kitchen, Kasamatsu grabbed your arm gently, guiding you to the chair, where he made you sit as he tended to your wounds. Kobori took your clothing, freeing up your arms, and headed to the laundry room while Moriyama busied himself with making hot chocolate.  
  
Yup, definitely deja vu.  
  
Kasamatsu sat in the chair in front of you, using a damp cloth to clean the scratch on your cheek, causing you to hiss. One eye closed, your teeth digging into your lower lip as he sterilized the cut. Placing the towel down, he reached for the first aid kit, searching for a band aid to cover it. Grabbing one, he ripped the package open, taking off the wrapper and placing it lightly on your cheek. Sitting back in his chair, he lightly picked up your right leg, which seemed to sustain the most damage, and grabbed the roll of gauze. Pushing up the pant leg, he took the clip off, bending your leg slightly as he started to wrap below your knee. Making sure it wasn’t too tight, he clipped the bandage together, supporting your leg. The entire time, he was gentle, mindful of any bruises and cleaning any other scrapes he came across.  
  
“You’re really good at this, Yukio-senpai.”  
  
He blinked, looking up into your eyes. “When you have two younger brothers, you tend to learn how to deal with their cuts and scrapes. This is nothing.”  
  
Upon hearing this, you blinked, “You have siblings?” He nodded, focusing his attention on the task at hand. Looking at Moriyama, you raised an eyebrow, “What about you Moriyama-senpai?”  
  
Placing the cup on the table next to you, he nodded, “I have an older brother.” At this, Kobori walked in, leaning against the doorway, “Kobori, where’s your younger brother?”  
  
He shrugged, “I think he’s gone out for the weekend with my parents. I have the whole house to myself.”  
  
You couldn’t help but feel envious of the three males in front of you. Not only did they have both a mother and a father, they also had siblings.  
  
“What about you, ___-chan?”  
  
You smiled sadly, “I’m an only child. I think at one point, I begged my parents to have another child, but it didn’t happen.” You laughed, “I guess you could say Ryouta is my brother, given how close he is with my family.”  
  
At the mention of the blonde, Kasamatsu pulled out his phone, handing it to you. “You might want to give him a call. I’ll never hear the end of it otherwise.”  
  
Swallowing, you nodded, flipping open the phone and dialling his number. After hitting call, you pressed it to your ear, waiting for him to answer. Not even five seconds later you heard his overly bearing voice.  
  
 _“Senpai?!?!”_  
  
Trying not to laugh, you grinned, “No, you idiot. It’s me.”  
  
 _“___-cchi?! Are you okay?! You didn’t answer your phone when I called! Where are you?!”  
_  
Taking a deep breath, you ran a hand through your hair, mindful of Kasamatsu who was finishing up bandaging your wounds.  
  
“I’m at Kobori-senp-”  
  
 _“Stay there!”_  
  
Without another word, he hung up, causing you to look at the phone and sighing. Flipping it shut, you gave it back to Kasamatsu, who shook his head in annoyance, mumbling something about him being an idiot. He finished, gently placing your leg back on the floor as he moved to stand up, cleaning up the medical supplies before choosing to lean against the kitchen counter. You felt their stares, but chose to take a sip of the hot chocolate, feeling somewhat comforted by the beverage.  
  
“Tch. That idiot… He’s always so reckless, jumping in before knowing the facts.”  
  
“He’s the one who pushed us to come searching for you, ____. He wouldn’t sit still during the second half of the match, and he barely spoke a word until we were on our way home.”

* * *

_“Senpai…. I need to ask you a favour.”_   
  
_He noticed the serious tone in Kise’s voice, and he found himself looking at him, blue eyes attentive, “What is it, Kise?”_   
  
_Running a hand through his hair, he let out a sigh, “I need you three to check on ___-cchi.”_   
  
_Kasamatsu stood there, frozen and eyes wide in confusion while the other two looked at their kouhai, unsure of what to say. “But Kise… ___-chan lives in Tokyo…”_   
  
_“I don’t mean there.” At this, the three of them heard the worried tone in his voice, “_____-cchi didn’t answer her phone during the intermission.” He paused, noticing the shocked looks on their faces, “I called her mother after the third attempt. She told me ___-cchi was dropped off at Kaijou.” He bit his lip, hand tightening into a fist before it fell to his side, “I want to go check on her, but if I do, she’ll probably yell at me again. I know she’s not avoiding me on purpose this time. Momo-cchi told me Aomine-cchi gave her a letter from her father. If I know ____-cchi, she probably went to see the coach about it. And if she visits him, there’s a good chance she’ll be going to her old house.”_   
  
_He looked down at his foot, noticing the slight trembling of his ankle, and that’s when it dawned on the three of them why he was asking them to go._   
  
_He didn’t want to throw his ankle._   
  
_“If I go, and I somehow overwork my ankle, ___-cchi will never forgive me. She wouldn’t want me risking my injury for her sake, even if her life was on the line. I can’t even say if she’s in any danger…” he paused, giving them a look of concern and worry, “But I’ve had this weird feeling in my gut since the intermission. Now we’re here, it’s only gotten worse and if she **is** in some sort of danger, I can’t handle it on my own.”_   
  
_At this he sighed, his shoulders slumping in defeat, “So_ **please** _…”_   
  
_Upon hearing this, Kasamatsu let out a sigh, giving both Kobori and Moriyama the same look, which they returned with the same serious expression._   
  
_“Alright. We understand, Kise. We’ll go check on her. But don’t do anything stupid until we call you. And if we find her, we’ll get her to call you right away.”_   
  
_Kise’s eyes widened before he nodded, his body visibly relaxing,_   
  
_“Thank you.”_

* * *

Upon hearing this, you looked at the captain, unsure of what to say. Ryouta had never been one to ask for help. He always jumped the gun, thinking about the consequences later.  
  
Maybe he **had** changed.  
  
“It was a good thing we did. Who knows what would’ve happened if we didn’t listen to him, ___-chan.”  
  
At this, you smiled, a scoff of some sorts escaping your lips at his maturity. Maybe he could be serious at times. Running a hand through your hair, you looked at your hand, watching as it slightly shook on your leg.  
  
“Speaking of which, why were you here, ____? And where did you get the Kaijou’s captain jacket?”  
  
Leaning against the wall, you looked up at the ceiling, finding some sort of comfort at the blank space. You were able to collect some of your thoughts, eyes going towards the center who asked the questions.  
  
“I want to wait for Ryouta to show before explaining why I was here. And as for the jacket… It used to be my dad’s, when he went to Kaijou. Apparently it was supposed to be given to me when I joined the basketball team, regardless if I was captain or not..”  
  
At that moment, Kise barged in, slamming the door open as he ran through the hallway. He almost pushed Kobori over as he collapsed at your feet. Blinking in shock, you were suddenly in his arms, slightly shivering at the cold from his jacket. You winced in pain as he suffocated you with his presence.  
  
“Ow, ow, ow! Dammit, Ryouta! I can’t breathe…”  
  
He pulled back, cold hands cupping your cheeks as he inspected your face. Golden eyes narrowed dangerously, anger swelling in his chest at seeing you covered in bruises and band-aids.  
  
“Who did this?”  
  
Upon hearing the threatening tone in his voice, you looked at Kasamatsu, silently asking permission to tell him. He spared Kise a glance, sensing the rising tension between the two of you. After a short pause, he nodded at your silent question, arms crossing as he stood behind his ace. He was kind of curious to know more about the guy who harmed you and the connections he had with their ace.  
  
You looked back at Ryouta, resting a gentle hand on his as you whispered,  
  
“Haizaki…”  
  
He sucked in a breath, his lungs choking on air as his body started to quiver in rage. You felt his hands slide to your arms, his nails digging into your skin, causing you to wince slightly in pain. His arms bulged as he redirected his attention to your feet.  
  
“Shougo-kun…” He growled, startling everyone at how low his voice was.  
  
“Calm down, Ryouta… I’m still here, aren’t I?” You smiled softly, running a hand through his hair, “He won’t get you again. Not as long as I have something to say about it.”  
  
He slammed his hand on the table, golden eyes narrowing dangerously at you, but you remained composed.  
  
“Why was he here?”  
  
You gave him a skeptical look, releasing a sigh, “He wants to get his revenge against you. Though I don’t know why he would come here instead of waiting until the Winter Cup. Regardless, he’s been following me for some time now. He knew I’d be alone today, and somehow he knew I’d forget my phone.”  
  
“Why didn’t you have it with you?!”  
  
Slamming a fist on his head, you scowled, “What, you thought I intentionally forgot on purpose, idiot?! I didn’t exactly have time. As soon as I got home, mom went all weird and practically forced me out. I didn’t even have time to change out of my uniform.”  
  
You watched as he trembled, blonde hair falling into his eyes, blocking your view of the deathly intent in his golden orbs. Your scowl deepened upon realizing he was trembling in rage and you needed to get him to calm down. He couldn’t do anything about it, since you had no idea where he lives and you really didn’t want him tracking him down to beat him up.  
  
“Who is this 'Haizaki’?” Moriyama asked, watching as his kouhai stood up, releasing a heavy sigh.  
  
“He’s the biggest piece of shit to ever play basketball. If you thought Hanamiya was bad, Shougo-kun is almost just as bad, if not worse.” the blonde seethed, taking in the shocked looks of his senpais. “I became a starter on Teiko’s team in my second year. So before that, they had another player, and he was known for his violent nature.” He paused, biting his lip, “When I joined the first string, we would always have one-on-ones, but I’d never beat him. Still, he was forced to quit by Akashicchi since he could never stay away from violence.” He bit the inside of his cheek, turning to look at you, “He’s hurt ____-cchi before.”  
  
You frowned at his words, feeling the other three members look at you in shock.  
  
“Why would he do that?”  
  
You snorted, “Because unlike the rest of the girls in Teiko, besides Satsuki, I had dignity. And he tried to fuck me as a way to get back at Ryouta due to jealousy but I told him to fuck off.” standing up, you lightly moved your leg around, not wanting the muscles to tense up, “He doesn’t care if you’re male or female, he’ll still beat the shit out of you. He also has a vendetta against Ryouta, and anyone close to him will be in danger until he has his revenge.”  
  
Under normal circumstances, you’d laugh at how ridiculous their expressions were. But you couldn’t find it in you to even utter a chuckle.  
  
Moriyama looked at his team mates, all of them sharing a similar look,  
  
“To think they’d allow such a person to play… It must mean he’s strong..”  
  
You bit your lip, taking in their somewhat down expressions as they pondered what they’d just learned about the guy they’d met.  
  
“To be honest, he may be stronger than Ryouta.”  
  
At this, Kise looked at you with dangerous eyes, while the rest of them looked at you in disbelief. You sighed,  
  
“Don’t give me that look. You know it as much as I do. It kills you to admit you’re weaker than an asshole like him. Even if you were stronger than him, he’d definitely find a way to sabotage your ankle.”  
  
The dangerous look in Kise’s eyes changed to one of disbelief, “H-How’d you know about that?”  
  
“Ryouta, you can’t hide anything from me. Not to mention, I’d seen it when we practiced, remember? Even then, your movements would get sluggish from time to time. Anyone with an observant eye would notice such an injury. It’s still not fully healed. That’s why Aomine-kun was forced to sit out during the rest of the Interhigh.”  
  
Kobori looked at you, “He did?”  
  
“I didn’t know about it until Satsuki told me, but she forced the coach to make him sit out. If there’s one weakness the Generation of Miracles have, it’s their strength.” Everyone looked at you, completely confused at your words, “In Teiko, they had to hold back their full power. So when they go against each other, it’s the first time ever witnessing their potential. I’m the only one who knows what Daiki can truly do, and that’s because I’ve witnessed it once.” Ryouta noticed the use of Aomine’s first name, knowing you were fully serious, “Imayoshi-san knows too since he was there, but not once has Daiki been put into a situation where he can go all out.”  
  
Kasamatsu blinked, an eyebrow raising in confusion, “Kise pushed himself to his limit right? So how is it Aomine didn’t go all out against him?”  
  
You sighed, “Daiki still has a soft spot for his old team mates.” Ryouta blinked, completely shocked at this information, “He can never truly push himself against any of them since he sometimes remembers what it’s like to play with them. Despite going to different schools, and what he says out loud, Daiki only sees his friends.” You looked down at your hand, feeling somewhat melancholy, “However, there is one person he may be able to go full strength against. And that’s Seirin’s ace, Kagami Taiga.”  
  
Ryouta blinked, eyes wide, “But ____-cchi, he’d lost against Aomine-cchi once already. What makes you so sure he can do it?”  
  
“It’s **because** he lost once before that he’ll do it this time.” The ace blinked, confused, “Before their loss to my school, Seirin hadn’t lost a single match this year. They got completely arrogant after winning against both you and Shutoku, because both of you had a member of the Generation of Miracles on your teams. Anyone would get overconfident after beating two members of a legendary team. However, Ryouta, I’m sure you noticed, Kagami-kun is like the rest of you.” His eyes widened, knowing his thoughts had been confirmed by your words, “During the Seirin and Touou match, Kagami was taken out due to his leg.. That was another reason why they lost in the first place. Their ace had to be removed, and because he overworked himself, he couldn’t participate in the rest of the Interhigh. Their fates had been sealed. But, he wasn’t crying over the loss…” You bit your lip, looking up at the Kaijou members, “Rather, he was extremely pissed off. More so at himself for failing his team. Because of this, he won’t lose to Daiki twice, not when he has Tetsu helping him.”  
  
Ryouta laughed, running a hand through his hair, “___-cchi.. You started referring to both of them by their first names.” You blinked, eyebrow raised in confusion, “You must be returning to normal then.”  
  
You shrugged, “Maybe… Or maybe I just decided staying angry at things in the past aren’t worth the energy. It’s not going to do me any good now. That said, I’ve also decided…” He blinked, watching as you gave him _that_ knowing smirk, “I’m gonna help draw out your full potential, Ryouta. Since you’ll most likely overwork yourself regardless. Might as well put it to good use.”  
  
Moriyama looked at both Kasamatsu and Kobori, the three sharing the same look before his eyes went back to you.  
  
“____-chan, what are you saying?”  
  
“Haizaki’s style is similar to that of Ryouta’s. But there is one major difference; that said, even if Haizaki successfully stops him, there’s one thing he won’t be able to do. "You looked at the blonde, who had a confused look on his face,  
  
"Perfect copy…” You took in everyone’s reactions, “If he obtains this ability, he’ll be _**almost**_ unstoppable.”  
  
“Perfect copy” Kasamatsu mumbled, trying to understand the name of the style, “So, you’re saying he would be able to imitate the rest of the miracles….”  
  
“Obviously it won’t be easy, and if it was anyone else, I’d say it’d be impossible. However, Ryouta can do it. He was able to successfully copy Daiki during the Inter-High match. The only thing I can say is he’ll only be able to do it for five minutes max, given his current condition.”  
  
“So, it’d be a last resort then,” Kobori spoke, looking at everyone before drawing his attention to you, “____, how do you know this will work?”  
  
You sighed, looking at all the Kaijou members with a serious look, “Haizaki has never been able to copy the Generation of Miracles. His type of play style isn’t entirely the same as Ryouta’s. He steals moves from other players, changing the tempo ever so slightly to fit his movement, breaking everyone else’s rhythm. It goes back to normal for you after the match, but during, you won’t be able to use it again. Not even Ryouta has seen him play before, so it’s something you’d have to witness for yourself. But he’s very deadly, and a cocky bastard too.”  
  
Sitting back in the chair, you sighed, “But enough talk about him. I just figured I’d give you guys a head’s up since he has bad history with Ryouta.”  
  
Your eyes narrowed ever so slightly, looking down at your hands. Letting out an exasperated sigh, you closed your eyes, gathering your composure,  
  
“Since we kind of got sidetracked, and Ryouta is here, I guess I’ll explain my reason for showing up at Kaijou.”  
  
Looking at the letter sitting on the table, you reached for it, holding it out for Ryouta to take. He looked at it, reaching out and grasping the paper in his hands.  
  
“It all started with that letter…”


	8. I met him that day... And it'll haunt me forever.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which you confront Aomine about the letter, and he tells you what happened..

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HERE WE GO! This is the last chapter I completed!! Of course there's more to the story! But I feel happy I'm able to put all of them together like this... My motivation seems to have come back for this story, (hence the need to upload it here, so it's easier to plot out.) and I'm hoping I can finish this story!! Please enjoy!

The past few weeks have been a whirlwind of emotions, and you were finally glad to have a bit of a break. Between dealing with Haizaki, helping Kise with Perfect Copy, and trying to understand how Aomine had ANY connection to your father, you were worn out. The idea of going to the hot springs with Touou was tempting, but you chose to stay back, needing to come to terms with your current situation.  
  
You were still in love with Aomine Daiki.  
  
Somehow, despite it seeming like an impossibility, being able to fully admit to having those feelings made things less… **stressful**. Like you’d been in denial for so long, and you had to accept things would never change. You wanted Aomine to lose, because you wanted to see if he would smile again.. He always enjoyed himself when he played basketball, up until their coaches changed. The mindset of the entire team had taken a hit.  
  
Now that everyone has been separated, and their powers have been utilized in other schools, it seems to have eased the tension between the Miracles. Some of them were still strained, mainly with Akashi, but for the most part, everyone got along well.  
  
Everyone except Aomine.  
  
The conversation you had with Kise a few weeks back resonated through your memory, and you couldn’t help but smile softly.  
  


* * *

_Kise stares at you, confusion and curiosity mixed as he hesitantly takes the paper from your fingers. He almost forgets his senpais are around, but he can’t find the words to ask them to leave. When he opens the letter, he skims the contents, eyebrows furrowing in deep thought._   
  
_“I don’t understand ____cchi…” he mutters, placing it on the table in mild disgust. “If you were supposed to come to Kaijou, why did you follow Aominecchi instead?”_   
  
_Rubbing your arm lightly, you let out a sigh, trying to calm your nerves, “Ryouta… I couldn’t abandon Daiki… Everyone else around us had… But I swore I’d never do it… I couldn’t… In the end, he means more to me than everyone else.”_   
  
_He leans back in his chair, running a hand through his hair as he absorbs your words.. To think, he could’ve had you at Kaijou… To be even closer to you than he is now.. Kise is conflicted._   
  
_“Is it out of pity?”_   
  
_You almost jump, hearing the whisper, but your resolve hardens immediately, eyes narrowing in anger and anguish._   
  
_“OF COURSE NOT! YOU, of ALL people, should know that Ryouta! I’d never be friends with you guys for the sake of your titles! I never ONCE gave a shit about ‘Generation of Miracles’..” your voice lowers, lips slightly trembling as you direct your gaze to the ground, waiting to be swallowed whole._   
  
_“If anything, I was jealous.”_   
  
_Those words made Kise’s head snap up, eyes wide and immediately filled with confusion and hurt._   
  
_“Jealous?? Why would ____cchi be jealous of us?”_   
  
_You couldn’t meet his gaze, feeling ashamed and embarrassed for ever admitting such a dirty secret._   
  
_“Why WOULDN’T I be jealous of you guys?!” your head lifted then, revealing everything to the boys around you, “You get to play the ONE sport I love with everything I have! The one thing I was exceptional at! But you guys overshadowed me, overshadowed the girls’ basketball team.. And we lost the funding for it. Teiko only wanted to invest in the BOYS’ team… because you six were better than me… better than our team…”_   
  
_You growl lightly, wiping away the stupid tears falling down your cheeks, further aggravating you.. How can you be so weak?_   
  
_“The closest thing I could do after that was be on the team as the 'manager’… And even though I helped Satsuki with scouting and training regimes, it didn’t change the animosity I felt towards you guys… For taking the one thing I had away… Girls were jealous that I was close with you guys… But I didn’t always feel that way… Some days, I felt like an outcast.. If I didn’t have Satsuki and Tetsu, I would’ve quit the team sooner…”_   
  
_Kise blinked, stunned and almost breathless at your words… “Y…You almost quit…. being our manager?? But… why? What did Kurokocchi do to keep you around?”_   
  
_You smiled sadly, wanting this moment to be over and done with._   
  
_“He told me that everyone is useful on the court, regardless of the position… He was the only one… Out of the six of you, to notice the way I felt.. How upset I was for no longer being able to play.. But the funniest thing about that… is Daiki was the one who gave him the advice in the first place…”_   
  
_You feel a chair being pressed against your legs, and you look at Kobori, giving him a soft smile as you sit down, gently rubbing your legs. Standing did make you tired, and this whole night had been a whirlwind of emotions.. Lately, you’d been experiencing it, and you just wanted to sleep for the next week…_   
  
_“Anyway, it seems Daiki has been doing more than just giving advice… Considering he somehow knows my dad.. and I wish I knew how they met..”_   
  
_Kise sighs, moving forward to rest a hand on top of your head, gently caressing your hair. “You know ____cchi… you could always ask him.. I don’t think Aominecchi would keep that from you… If he went all the way to your house to drop off that letter in the first place.”_   
  
_You shake your head, biting your bottom lip anxiously, “I want to… But I don’t want to bother him with anything anymore… I don’t want him to be burdened by me…”_   
  
_A light tap on the head startled you, and you whimpered slightly, turning your gaze to the hot-headed captain._   
  
_“It sounds like you’re running away ____…” he frowns, causing your eyes to widen slightly, “You have the right to know… And you should ask Aomine what connection he has with your father. It means a lot to you… And I bet… He’s waiting for you to ask.. Why else would he give you that letter?”_   
  
_Kise smiles, watching the interaction between you and his captain. If anyone is able to convince you, it’s him. Because he knows you’d never talk back to your senpais. Standing up, he lets out a sigh, catching your attention,_   
  
_“___cchi, go talk to Aominecchi… It’s the only way you can fix everything. You deserve to know the truth.”_   
  
_All you could do in a room full of boys was nod.. Because the reality is, you need to know._

* * *

There you sat, in your backyard, on a swing couch your mother had bought while on vacation. The cushions were comfortable, and you were feeling very tired from having to deal with a lot. However, as much as sleep sounds like the best thing to do, you made yourself stay awake, because the visitor you were expecting was to arrive soon.  
  
The sound of footsteps echoed across the cement, and you halted your movements, feet digging into the grass as a way to balance yourself. You could feel his warmth before he reached your place, a tall shadow shading you from the sun. You weren’t sure what face you were making, but you turned your attention to meet his deep blue eyes.  
  
“Thanks for coming… Daiki…”  
  
His eyebrows furrowed, a hand buried in his pocket. He was a bit surprised you’d called him, unsure if he had ruined things. But when he heard the tone in your voice, he knew you had questions.. And it was his turn to come clean.  
  
“Took you long enough…” he muttered, moving to sit in the spot beside you. At first he kept his eyes on the fence, the frown growing deeper as time passed. When he had enough of the silence, he turns his gaze towards you, almost startled at the soft look in your beautiful hues..  
  
“I’m sorry…” you whisper, a bit sheepish, “I was unsure how you’d respond… Now that you’re here… I don’t know what to ask…”  
  
He sighs softly, leaning back in his spot as the couch lightly sways in the breeze.  
  
“You could start from the beginning…”  
  
You bite your lip, fingers curled in your lap as you look at him, almost desperate, “H…How did you know my dad?”  
  
He turns his full attention to you, debating whether to grab your hand or just lay them in his lap. He lets them lay in his lap instead, gathering the courage to admit to everything.  
  
“We met on the day he died.”  
  


* * *

_“Y… You’re…. Aomine-kun…?”  
  
The raspy voice caught Aomine’s attention, his eyes widening at the scene. There, with a stab wound bigger he’d seen, was a middle-aged man, struggling to walk. Without thinking, he ran to him, stripping off his jacket and wrapping him in it, trying to urge him to sit down.  
  
“It… It’s not safe for you to be walking around! Please wait here, I’ll go grab ___!”  
  
“No! Don’t!”  
  
The scream startled him, freezing him in place as he stared down at the man. Taking in his appearance, he recognized his eyes from a photo you showed him on one of your dates… His blood ran cold…  
  
“…. You’re _____’s dad…”  
  
A weak smile curls on his lips, as he tries to nod, but only coughs up phlegm and a bit of blood… His time was running out, he had to get this to the boy quickly..  
  
“A….Aomine-kun… P…Please… t…take this…”  
  
He’s stunned to see three letters… One written for him, one addressed to your mother… and the last was addressed to you..  
  
“D..Don’t read it until you’re alone… J…Just please… t….take good care…. of….. ____….”  
  
By the time the ambulance arrived, it was too late.. And despite doing everything he could for him, your father died.. leaving behind three letters.  
  
_

* * *

“I stayed with him until the doctor told me to go home… At that point, I had no idea what to do… I couldn’t find it in myself to tell you… But I remember seeing Haizaki in the distance…” That sickening grin, the way he licked his finger as though he’d gotten revenge… Anger began to boil in his blood, and he wanted nothing more than to find him and beat him dead.  
  
“Dai-chan….”  
  
Your voice brings him back, and he turns his head towards you, startled at the feel of your fingers on his cheeks, wiping away a few tears that escaped their confines.. He’s left stunned, breathless at the look in your eyes… There was no trace of anger, only a deep understanding and sadness… It broke his heart. Without thinking, he pulled you into his arms, burying his face in your hair as he held you close.. His mind and heart were racing, and everything he wanted to say was jumbled, incoherent.. He was a mess and the only thing soothing him was knowing you were right here… Against his chest…  
  
“I’m sorry…. ____… I wanted to tell you sooner… I just… I couldn’t figure out how… I felt so ashamed… I couldn’t save him.. I couldn’t do anything but let Haizaki get away..”  
  
Your body is trembling, but not just from your own emotions. It was from this broken man in front of you… Who had been there the day your father died.. Who was able to meet him… before his untimely demise.. All you could do was hold him, adjusting your position so you were in his lap, burying your face in his shoulder.  
  
“D….Dai-chan….” you whisper, moving a hand to cup his cheek, wiping the few tears shedding from his beautiful blue hues. “It’s okay….” you smile gently. Seeing him broken, raw and full of emotions has you caught up in a hurricane of emotions. It’s hard to hold on, but seeing him shedding tears, being open and completely vulnerable with you, it has you falling in love with him all over again.  
  
“Listen, we will make him pay…” you mumble, keeping his attention focused completely on you. “It’s not your fault… With everything that happened…” you stop, trying to collect your thoughts. “It hurts… But I’m happy you told me… Because I can fully heal and move on..”  
  
You find all strength has left your body, and you slump against him, burying your face in his neck. You allow yourself to be vulnerable with him, to be open and sob into his warmth embrace. You can’t push him away, and his warmth seems to be the only thing keeping you together. You should be telling yourself this is wrong; that you need to let go of him because you’re not with him anymore. But your heart… It tells you to keep him in your grasp, to hold him tightly until your fingers bruise.  
  
He is your safe haven, the one place you can be yourself.  
  
“_____… I’m so sorry…” he whispers, a hand gently massaging the back of your head. Without thinking, he presses a soft kiss to your temple, eyes closing as he contemplates his next words..  
  
“_____…. I…”  
  
A soft snore reaches his ears, and he suddenly stops. Turning his head, he looks down, seeing your peaceful expression, as you sleep in his arms. He feels his eyes soften considerably, unsure how to proceed.. He thinks this is a sign to leave things as they are for now, because he doesn’t want to screw up twice.. So he carefully adjusts himself, so he’s laying on his side, you tucked between the rest and his arms. He figures this is the time to leave, to let you rest, but he feels a hand tug on his waist, causing him to halt.  
  
“D….Don’t go… Dai-chan…”  
  
His heart melts at the soft plea, and he feels the light breeze pick up. Adjusting his position to shield you, he leans down once more, pressing a tender kiss to your forehead, letting his lips linger longer than necessary. And just like all those times in middle school, he lets himself drift to sleep, making sure he has you in his arms, never letting go.


	9. The first day I met you, I knew We'd Be Together Forever.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which You realize... You want Aomine's attention on you... And keep him with you forever.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AHH. So, here we go! Another chapter after so long... I hope you guys enjoy it! And I sincerely thank you all for being patient!!

_The day you met Aomine Daiki, was on a clear blue sky._

_You were practicing dribbling on a nearby court, moving the ball between your legs in a quick motion. It was one of your weaker moves, but you were at least good at shooting. It wouldn't be enough to win the next game though.. You frown, halting your movements and stare up at the hoop, as if studying it. How many times have you faced up against opponents taller than you? Surely there has to be a way to outsmart them and be able to reach the hoop?_

_The ball began hitting the cement once more, and you narrowed your eyes, making fake movements before spinning on your feet. Taking a jump back, you shot the ball into the hoop, watching as it effortlessly sinks in.. Wiping the sweat from your eyebrow, you sigh, staring at the ground... Is there a way to get better? How can you be the assistant captain if you can't lead your team with the captain?_

_"OI! Move off the court! It's not meant for girls!"_

_The voice cut you out of your reverie, and you glare, turning your attention to the group of boys... Great... You're going to be harassed once again from playing a 'boys' sport. You made your way to your ball, only to stumble when one of them grabs it, spinning it on his finger as he sneers at you._

_"You think a girl can play against a group of boys and win?" he laughs, not bothering to look at you. It was clear to you he was the leader... His arrogance was evident._

_"Girls can play any sport boys can!" you glower, eyes narrowing. "Besides, this is a PUBLIC court... Anyone can play on it!"_

_He sneers, stopping the spinning of the ball. He looks at it, casting a glance at you. He then starts to tease you with the ball, watching as you jump up and down, trying to reach it... Curse your height!_

_"How can you play when you're not even tall enough to reach the hoop??" He laughs, and then proceeds to throw your ball off the court... You gasp, turning to chase it, only to trip on his foot, and you almost hit the pavement. **Hard**..._

_Instead, you wind up in someone's arms.._

_"OI! Pick on someone your own size!"_

_You blink, gasping lightly as you inhale the young boy's scent, finding yourself blushing... He smells good... You look up at him, mouth parting as his beautiful navy blue hues meet yours, and you're suddenly tongue-tied... H...He's so...._

_**Cute**._

_"Tch... Whatcha gonna do about it, shorty?" the older male sneers, not liking his bullying was being interrupted..._

_Aomine snaps out of his fascination of you, turning to look at them, glaring. He puts you behind him, grabbing the ball from the other teen and laughs, spinning the ball on his finger..._

_"I'm gonna fight you! Four on one! If you can beat me, I'll leave with her and we won't be on the court again!" He replies smugly, bouncing the ball on the ground... "But... If I win..." He then charges at them, bouncing the ball between their legs, and throws the ball into the hoop with one hand._

_"... **You'll** apologize to her and never step foot on this court again."_

_xxx_

_You watch the game, mesmerized by the young boy's plays... He was laughing, grinning with mischief as he made each shot, dodging each of their moves effortlessly... It was hard to believe he was your age.... He plays like a natural.. As if he breathes basketball..._

_At the end of the match, you're unable to tear your eyes away, feeling slightly flustered at the scene before you... No words could begin to describe what took place, and you feel rooted to the ground... Everything about this... Is surreal, and you find yourself feeling just a little envious... Not because of his skill persay... But because he looks like he's enjoying himself... And you find herself wishing, he never stops smiling._

_The thought makes you blush deeply, and you crouch down, burying your face in your knees._

_"Oi! You okay?"_

_His voice brings you out of your turmoil, and you look up at him, his gaze curious and a slight hint of worry. You immediately stand up, nodding your head as you dust off your shorts._

_"A...Ahh!! I'... I'm okay!!" you look around, noticing the males are gone... "W...What happened?"_

_He clicks his tongue, a soft frown on his lips, "I kicked their butts.." He replies, tossing the gross ball away. He didn't want to touch anything belonging to them.. He then runs towards the edge of the court, grabbing your long forgotten ball. He brings it back to you, holding it towards your unmoving form._

_"Here!"_

_As if shocked, you take the ball from his hands, gasping at the small twinge of electricity... You hear it from his lips too, before looking up at him , swallowing the lump in your throat.._

_"T....Thank you..." you whisper, a tiny smile on your lips. He rubs the back of his head, unable to meet your eyes, a small blush dusting his cheeks..._

_"Those guys had it coming...:" he whispers, "Anyone can play basketball... and I was tired of them picking on you..."_

_You find yourself staring up at him, a tiny giggle leaving your lips._

_"Y...You're a really good player... er..."_

_"D...Daiki..."_

_Your eyes widen at his stutter, but he says his name with clear conviction, and you're once again, amazed at his stature... And you feel... safe with him... Something you've only experienced with your father... Speaking of..._

_"AH! It's getting late!! I have to get back home!" you gasp, bowing at him. You meet his gaze, grinning at him brightly,_

_"Thank you Daiki!! I appreciate what you did for me!"_

_You then begin running off the court, only to stop at his voice._

_"Oi!! I didn't catch your name!!"_

_You whirl around, eyes wide at his words, and you smile bigger, waving a hand._

_"It's _______!"_

_You almost trip in your haste, but you had to get home! Otherwise your dad would start to worry... and he wouldn't let you out to play on the courts again! As you ran away, Aomine couldn't take his eyes off your form.. You were cute, and he had caught you training a little... He could tell you were a good player, and he hopes to see you again on these courts..._

_"Be safe, _____-chan...." he whispers, before he makes his trek back home._

* * *

_**~ Two years later ~** _

_It's been a couple years since you ran into Daiki on the street court... And you couldn't stop thinking about him... His enthusiasm for the sport your father played somehow renewed your interest, allowing you to bond with him.. It'd been rocky since you were forced to live with your mother, and during that time, you couldn't return to the courts, unable to meet with Daiki again... You wanted to play with him, get to know him as a person... Everything about him, it screamed at you.. Somehow you found yourself going to Teiko... Per your mother's request._

_And that's where you now stood, in front of the gates, staring up at them with wide eyes... A prestigious school... The aura around it was powerful, and you found yourself sweating.. You were feeling anxious, having everyone's attention on you... Since you'd grown up, some of your assets... had well... stood out..._

_"Hey.. She's cute!! We should go talk to her!"_

_"I'm going to make her my girlfriend!"_

_"Let's get her to join our club!"_

_You started to feel your palms clam up, and you swallow the lump in your throat. All you want is to make it to homeroom, and relax. The first day is always the hardest, and you didn't want to fall behind... It was when you were heading inside you saw a flash of navy blue hair.. And it made you pause... You watch, eyes wide as the boy you met a couple years ago walks by, accompanied by a beautiful pinkette, and they seem very close... You wanted to shout his name, to confirm it was truly him, but something held you back.. Before you got caught, you ran up the stairs towards your class, unaware of those hues looking in your direction._

_xxx_

_"You're _____-chan, right?"_

_You were in the middle of eating when the VERY same girl who you saw with Daiki earlier appears.. A huge grin on her face. You place your food down, tilting your head to the side.._

_"H...How do you..."_

_"It's my duty to know everyone ! I also heard of your basketball abilities!!" she grins, unaware of your inner turmoil... If this was Daiki's girlfriend... Why was she here in front of you?_

_"I want you to join the basketball team as an assistant manager!"_

_Her words bring you out of your reverie, and you look at her, stunned..._

_"...Eh?"_

_"I don't think Dai-chan has realized you're here.. But from your description, I'd say you're the same girl he met on the court a couple years ago!" she coos, sitting beside you. Her eyes were wide, but the sparkling effects were there, and you felt a twinge of guilt for the bluenette._

_"He couldn't stop talking about you _____-chan! He was excited to meet someone who liked playing basketball like him! Though he was upset you didn't show up again after that."_

_'H...He talked about me?' you thought, eyes wide and a slight blush on your cheeks... Why was your heart, beating fast, as if you were running on the track? What kind of face would he make, when he sees you again? Suddenly, your stomach began to churn in knots, and you bite your bottom lip._

_"W...What's your-"_

_"Oh! I'm Momoi Satsuki!! I'm Dai-chan's childhood friend!" She explains, understanding your confusion.. You let out a soft sigh._

_"I.. I thought you were..."_

_"Dating??" She scoffs, making a face, "No way!! Dai-chan is more like a brother to me!" She pouts, before shaking her head, holding out a hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, _____-chan!! I hope you'll help me manage the basketball team!"_

_You look at her, before your gaze goes to her hand, with a smile. Gently taking it in yours, you can feel the smile meeting your eyes, and nod. "I look forward to helping the basketball team!"_

_Little did you know, a certain someone was on the other line, tucked inside Momoi's pocket._

* * *

_End of day came by in a flash, and suddenly you were dreading going to the gym... You wanted to, but the prospect of Aomine NOT remembering you lingers in your head. From Momoi's words, he DOES remember you, has even talked about you non-stop... Despite the one meeting... And yet, why wouldn't your heart stop fluttering?? Was meeting you that exciting for the bluenette?_

_"______-chan!!!"_

_Startled from your thoughts, you look up, watching as Momoi runs to you, grabbing your hand happily. She drags you towards three people... An older man, who you assumed was the coach... A guy you recognized as the team's captain, and senpai, Nijimura Shuuzo, and finally.. The red-head who was vice captain, and one of the smartest boys in Teiko.._

_Akashi Seijuro..._

_"This is who I was talking about!! This is _____-chan!!" She looks at you, gesturing to the three males, "This is the coach, Sanada-san... The captain, Nijimura-senpai, and vice captain, Akashi-kun!"_

_You take in each of their expressions, but the one sending chills down your spine the most, was the red-head. Despite him being your age, his demeanor spoke volumes, and you swallow thickly, bowing in front of them._

_"I... I'm ______! I...It's a pleasure to meet you!"_

_You knew it was slightly rude not to say your last name, but you never wanted to be addressed so formally... Even in class, you'd rather be addressed by your first name. Most people respect that, and don't question it.. And thankfully, the others nod at you, accepting your introduction before talking to each other about the regimes... You look at Momoi, prepared to ask her what your duties were, when a very familiar voice echoes through the gym, causing you to gasp.._

_"_-_-_______?"  
_

_Turning your head around, you notice Momoi's smile, but find your eyes widening at the boy you met a couple years ago... He's much, **MUCH** , taller now than he was back then... And suddenly, you never felt so... small._

_You give him a smile, lifting a hand in a hesitant wave, "H....Hi there..... Daiki-kun..."_

_When you greet him, you watch as his face lights up, and those beautiful blue hues sparkle until your skin was burning... And you longed to keep that smile on his face... It was as if the two of you were in your own worlds, attention only on each other, and nothing else matters... You were brought out of your thoughts when he ran at you, wrapping his arms around your shoulder as he gives you a noogie.._

_"Be prepared!! I've gotten stronger! And I want to face off against you one day!"_

_You tilt your head in confusion, trying your hardest not to sound like an idiot... Because your entire being was screaming to touch him.. To hold him... And just like that day, when he had beaten those boys for you, Aomine was the sun, and if you got too close, you'd surely be burned._

* * *

You let out a soft whimper, though it immediately vanishes when a tiny pressure rests against your forehead. You don't want to open your eyes, in fear he's going to leave.. He's not physically here... He's only here in your dreams... And you want to keep him here... You want his heat, his scent, his _warmth_... Everything Aomine Daiki is... You want to hold it in the palm of your hand...

And yet, it's time to stop living in the past, and move on...

You slowly open your eyes, releasing a slow breath, and when you feel the swing shift, you realize one thing...

Aomine is resting underneath you...

When you fell asleep, you landed on his chest, and the whole time you were napping, he remained in place, keeping you close... As if protecting you from the cool breeze.. His heart continues to beat under your ear, and you were scared to move, in case he got angry, or he would place you down, leaving you alone...

Instead, his arms tighten their grip, and you snuggle closer to his chest.

"Miss me that much, _____?"

His voice is teasing, hot against your ear, and you feel your cheeks burn in embarrassment... C...Curse him!! Your heart continues to beat in your chest, and you knew... You couldn't get over him... Not even if you moved to a different continent....

Your heart would always be Aomine's...

Slowly getting up, you cast him a glare, half straddling his hips as you look down at him, pouting...

"I could say the same about you... **Aomine-kun**.." you murmur, not missing the frown at addressing him by his _last name_. You grab onto his sweater, and move to get off him, when he tugs you back into his chest, growling darkly.

"I...It's getting late!!"

"Don't care..." he mumbles, gently nipping your ear, "I'll stay the whole night if I have to..." he lets the words linger, and it makes your heart race... Letting out a soft gasp, you ignore the heat on your cheeks as you meet his blue hues...

Licking your lips, again ignoring the burning stare on your mouth, you whisper, ".... **Why**?"

He clicks his tongue, rolling his eyes before leaning in, closer than before. His breath tickles your mouth, and you so badly want to close the gap... To just drown in him again and again.

"Use your head, _____... I know you're not stupid."

And when you open your mouth to retort, he swoops in, and silences your protest with his own, forever sending your heart into a frenzy.


	10. Why are you sad for me? You should be sad for yourself.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Aomine reflects on his time with you during Teiko, leading up to the break-up... and wonders if there's any chance he can win you back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Mostly done from Aomine's perspective. (It will shift between reader's and his.) I apologize for the lack of updates, but here you guys go!

_When you walked back into Aomine's life, he remembers it was a clear blue sky._

_Satsuki had been rambling on about something, school or what club she should join... He doesn't remember the vague details. He would give the occasional nod, to let her know he was listening. But honestly, his mind was only on one thing._

_Basketball._

_Perhaps it was a bit of wishful thinking on his part, but he was hoping you would be attending Teiko... And join the basketball team. In his heart, Aomine wishes he was able to practice with you on the courts. Aomine curses his inability to talk with you, to keep you on those courts just a little bit longer. He may have protected you from those bullies, but he couldn't muster the courage to get your number? To even ask if you would be coming back? He lets out a grunt when Satsuki nudges his stomach, and after a yawn, looks ahead._

_He almost trips when he sees a hair colour similar to yours. His legs move on their own accord, and he takes the steps two at a time, trying to quash the hope bubbling in his chest. When he reaches the top step, he doesn't see you anywhere and starts to wonder if he's going crazy... There's no way you would be here... It would be a dream come true... He shakes away any hope crawling in his mind, running a hand through his hair._

_"Aomine-kun?"_

_He looks back at his best friend, seeing the confusion in her eyes and shrugs. "It's nothing. Let's go."_

_He trudges forward, unaware of her studying the student lists, spotting that name she knew he was looking for._

* * *

_'You're ____-chan right?'_

_His breath hitches at the light tone on the other end. He was going to berate Satsuki for calling him during lunch... The words he wanted to say die when he hears your name on the other end... Whether satsuki did this intentionally or not, he doesn't know... but he remains on the line._

_Silent and attentive._

_'H...How do you...?'_

_His cheeks start to slowly burn at hearing your voice, and his palms begin to sweat... Shit, if he's not careful, he'll drop his phone and cause unwanted attention on himself... That would be too embarrassing..._

_"Dating?? No way!! Dai-chan is more like a brother to me! It's a pleasure to meet you _____-chan! I hope you'll help me manage the basketball team!"_

_Okay... He must have missed a lot of that conversation... Satsuki isn't the type to just jump to the point.. And because of what he's told her about you, he knew there was more of an interrogation.. Too bad he zoned out at the thought of you on the other end... He's such an idiot!_

_"I look forward to helping the basketball team!!"_

_And yet, his heart races at hearing your voice exclaim that... Before he could be caught, he hangs up the phone, tossing it in his pocket before burying his face in his arms... Ah.. The good news is, he has a few hours before he sees you once again to collect his thoughts... He lets out a lazy sigh, sitting up to continue with his food... But his stomach begins churning in knots, and thinks twice. He packs his lunch, kicking back in his chair as he looks out the window..._

_"She thinks me and Satsuki are dating...." he whispers, before letting out a soft chuckle. "Well... She'll be in for a surprise..."_

* * *

_When he sees you walking into the gym, he had just finished practicing with a few of his teammates.. It takes all his energy to not run to you and throw an arm around your shoulders. He watches as Satsuki introduces you to the three males running the team, patiently waiting for it to end... He can't explain it, but seeing you for the first time in two years... Although he's taller now, you've grown as well. He hopes you've been practicing.. He's itching to play a game against you..._

_His patience starts to wear thin, and he grips the ball in his hand tighter until you've finished meeting them.. And it's when you take your leave does he find your name leaving his lips._

_"_-_____?"_

_Your head whips around, and the two of you are in a trance. The gym vanishes and it's just the two of you in a completely different world. When you look him up and down, he feels a bit self-conscious, until you give him a smile, the shock vanishing from your beautiful hues. You lift a hand as if to wave at him._

_"H..Hi there... Daiki-kun..."_

_Just like that... When his name hits his ears, it breaks the spell and his lips curl into a big grin. He doesn't see the way your cheeks heat up, or the shock in your eyes at the way he looks at you... No. He's focused on the happiness curling in his gut, exploding in his heart and his feet move on their own accord. He runs at you, swinging an arm around your shoulder as he lets the ball go, ruffling your soft locks.._

_"Be prepared!! I've gotten stronger!! And I want to face off against you one day!!"_

_He doesn't notice how your heart leaps in your chest, or the softening of your features... But he does notice the tender gaze in your eyes before that grin curls back on your lips, and a small laugh escapes your throat._

_"Y...You've gotten taller, Daiki-kun... But I'll do my best to give you a good match!"_

_He finds himself letting go of your head, but his hand lingers on your shoulder, studying you with a soft, tender gaze. He never thought about how much taller he was.. But the smile on your lips was genuine, and real... He knew you would give it all you had, just the way you had two years ago, alone on the courts. He gently rubs your back, before letting go to grab the ball, gently passing it to you._

_The shock on your face was cute, but it vanished when you realized what he wanted... You shook your head, dribbling the ball as you sized him up with your eyes. "I'll be a little rusty, I haven't really practiced in a few months... But I'll give it everything I got!"_

_His smile only grew bigger as he got into his defensive stance. "Show me what you can do, _____!"_

* * *

_It was just after they won their first Nationals... Aomine went looking for you... His blood was boiling beneath his skin, but he hadn't seen you all morning... He just wants to see you.. His legs carry him to the roof, and he sees you there, leaning against the railing. Your eyes were a little dull, a bit misty from a few tears, and his stomach clenches... The door closes, startling you from your thoughts.. He watches as you fluster, embarrassed to be caught in this situation, before rubbing your eyes and turning away. He carefully approaches you, keeping a safe distance away in case you want space._

_"I was looking for you..." he whispers, keeping his eyes on the scenery below. His posture is a little slack, but he doesn't know what to say... He just doesn't want to see you cry._

_"I'm sorry Daiki.. Did you need something?"_

_A soft frown curls on his lips at the timid response, and he shakes his head, ruffling his hair. "It's not important." he says, before looking at you.. "Did something happen, ____?"_

_He watches as your lips curl into a soft frown, before a heavy sigh leaves your lips. "I'll never be able to play beside you... Not the way Tetsu can..." you begin, a little hesitant to explain... But he wants to know what you meant by that... So he urges you with a nod, as if telling you to continue."Satsuki-chan asked the coach and Nijimura-senpai if I could play in the practice matches... Since she's seen my skills, and knows I can lead you guys to victory...:" You pause, clenching the rail. "They wouldn't allow it... Saying something about having a girl on the team would make the other teams laugh at us... Despite seeing what I can do when we play our one-on-ones..." You sigh defeated... "Teiko doesn't have a girl's team either... They decided to discontinue it this year because the men's team is strong, and they want to focus their time and energy on you guys.. On **winning**.."_

_The words spilling from your lips cause him to growl, and he shakes his head. "That's ridiculous!! You can't be on the team because you're a girl?? That's just as dumb as Tetsu not being able to play on the first string!!!" He huffs, clenching his fists. "So you're only useful to them as a manager?? I refuse to believe that!"_

_He doesn't notice the shock in your eyes, or the way you look up at him in wonder. He meets your gaze, determination and anger blazing within hard pools of blue. "Whether they believe that or not, you're a good player, _____. Don't stop playing just because you can't be on the team.... If you do..." he pauses, a frown on his lips.._

_"... I'll quit the team."_

_He hears the gasp, but never takes his eyes off yours. It's as if the two of you are communicating to each other silently, and you let out a soft huff, a small laugh leaving your lips._

_"As if I'd let you do that, idiot..."_

_He blinks his eyes in shock, a frown on his lips at being called an 'idiot'. But he watches as your lips curl into a smile. "You're not giving up your spot on the team if I choose to stop playing.. That's not fair to you..." you look at the sky, rubbing the back of your head with a sigh. "Daiki... I won't stop playing... But YOU have to promise me something..."_

_He watches you carefully, unsure what your next words will be. But he's patient, and the frown slowly melts away._

_"Don't stop playing... No matter how strong you become... Regardless if I choose to quit or not... Don't give up the sport you love... If you do..."_

_He holds his breath when you pause, determination blazing in your eyes._

**_"I won't forgive you."_ **

_The words sink in, and he has to take a step back to catch himself... He knows you're serious, but it's how you say it.. It sends shivers down his spine. He rubs the back of his head as a frown curls on his lips... He wants to keep playing with you.. He wants you by his side, regardless what happens in the future... If all you're asking of him is to continue playing, he's sure he can manage that..._

_At the time, it was a no brainer._

_"As long as you're at my side, I won't quit. No matter how strong I become."_

_He finds himself startled when the smile curls on your lips, and you move to hug him, causing a blush to form on his cheeks... It's very rare for you to hug him.. At least, when you're on school grounds.. But he doesn't hesitate to wrap his arms around you, burying his face in your hair._

_"Thank you, Dai-chan..."_

_He curses his heart for beating fast in his chest, but his mind is focused on the warmth as he holds you close._

* * *

It's the night before the big game.

Feh. In the end, the only one who can beat him is him. But there's a small tiny piece of hope... Crawling in the corners of his heart. He doesn't want to acknowledge the emotion, but he knows it's there... Satsuki had just came by to check on him... She knew he went to see you, but he didn't give details. He just said you were doing alright... 

Not like he knew anything else.

You seemed to take the news somewhat well... Rather, you were the one comforting him as he told the story... As if he was suffering more than you. Perhaps part of it is true. He'd been living with the guilt since last year. Knowing your girlfriend's dad died at the hands of someone who was on the same team... He wasn't sure how to tell you... He still felt the guilt crawl in his gut, but when the image of you kissing him comes to mind, it vanishes almost immediately.

Aomine was still in love with you after all. You were the first person who looked at him for HIM. Not because of his status.

Because he was himself.

A part of him wonders if the reason you broke it off was because of the promise you made him years ago... There's no way you'd remember that day. Not the way he did. He wasn't going to give you up, because whether Aomine wants to admit it or not...

He still **needs** you.

He always has, and he always will. You are his weakness, and he finds him sighing into the bed, staring up at the ceiling...

' _You still love me, _____... I'll win you back somehow.'_

With that thought in mind, he finds himself drifting to sleep, dreams filled with nothing but happiness and peace.

* * *

"______..... Oi! _______!!"

You're startled from your thoughts as you look up at Kasamatsu, seeing the worrying crease in his eyebrows. Your hands juggle the ball, and your gaze rests on it, a soft sigh leaving your lips. Gently bouncing the ball to him, you sit down on the gymnasium floor, staring at your shoes... Why were you remembering that of all things?? The match between Seirin and Touou was tomorrow night, and you decided to spend your remaining free time over at Kaijou, practicing with Ryouta and Yukio's team.. It was just the two of you now, Ryouta had to leave early for a photoshoot, and almost threatened Yukio to stay with you... 

He was kicked out of the gym two seconds later.

Your eyes go to the captain, who's now sitting in front of you, a frown on his face. The expression on his face elicits the same reaction from yours, and you huff, finally finding yourself speaking.

"Daiki kissed me."

The words, barely a whisper, sound like a shout, and his eyes widen in shock.

"When?"

A sigh. "A few weeks ago... When I asked him about my father."

He frowns, rubbing the back of his head as he looks around the gym. "You love him right?? Why are you hesitating?"

You don't expect those words from his lips, but when you look at him, you can see the blush... Ah... This must be an uncomfortable topic to talk about for him.... You frown lightly, rubbing the back of your head.

"I love him... But in middle school, we made a promise... He wouldn't quit playing basketball, and I wouldn't hate him..." you hesitate, before shaking your head. "But I feel... I hate the person he's become... I... I don't deserve to love him if I can't love all of him..."

Kasamatsu's eyes go to you, and he watches your posture... He has no experience in this department, but he's not one to leave a Kouhai when they need assistance.. And although love isn't one he knows anything about, he knows you need a friend... He takes the ball from your hands carefully, playing with it for a few moments, trying to gather his thoughts.

"So... You're hesitating because you can't accept the man he is now... But he didn't actually quit basketball, did he?" He pauses, watching your reaction... "Sure, he stopped practicing with his team, but he still attends games... For the most part..." He looks at the hoop, trying to keep his thoughts clear. "I don't necessarily agree with Touou's methods with team play.. But it seems to work for them, and although most don't see it... They do work as a team.... Just, not the way we or Seirin do.."

He rubs his head, taking a shot before looking at you, "I'm saying... Loving someone means compromising... And yeah, it's easier to say than do... But if you've been by his side since the whole thing went down at Teiko, why would you give up on him now, when he's starting somewhere new?"

You mechanically walk to the ball, bouncing in place from the shot.. Carefully picking it up, you focus on the smoothness, biting the bottom of your lip as you try to keep your emotions in check.

"I..." you pause, before releasing a loud sigh... "I... It's hard for me to love enough for the both of us... M...More than anything, I want to be able to play side by side with him.. But it will never happen, because I can't join the team..." you turn around, meeting his softening blue hues... "All I can do... is watch him from the side... I can just support him the best way I know how... But he needs **more**... He needs to be beaten, to experience loss at the sport he loves..." You look down at the ball, gently tossing it back to him.. 

"I have high hopes for Tetsu and Kagami-kun... If anyone can wake him up, it's them... because they're the new Light and Shadow..."

Kasamatsu grabs the ball, tilting his head to the side... "I still don't fully understand the whole "Light and Shadow" dynamic." he admits, taking another shot of the basket. "But it sounds like you need to lean on teammates as much as Aomine does... And that's not a bad thing _____..." he smiles softly. "Let us help you... You don't have to do it alone... And the more you fight us, the harder the struggle..."

You frown a little, rubbing your head bashfully as you look at the hoop. "I... I'm not good at relying on others." you admit, before releasing a sigh. "But I suppose I can try..." You turn your head back to him, smiling a little... "As long as you're okay with me being stubborn.."

He snorts, shaking his head... "Well, at least I know Kise will be in good hands when I graduate... Even if you're attending Touou..." he mutters, smiling a little. "Wait here, ____. I'll get changed and walk you to the train."

Before you can say anything, Kasamatsu has already vanished, and you release a soft sigh... What a stubborn, hot-headed man...

* * *

Your mom had met you at the train station, finishing up a business meeting in Kanagawa. She'd driven Kasamatsu home, despite his avid protests, and she was surprisingly quiet the whole ride home. It was when you were at a red light, you finally found the words you've been wanting to ask her since seeing the letter.

"Why did Dad want me to attend Kaijou?"

She casts you a brief glance, before humming... "We agreed, that if you chose to attend, you would be moving in with him... At the time, the business had been considering expanding, and they wanted to transfer me overseas, to work in the London office.." She hesitates, before sighing. "Part of him also thought Daiki would be attending there, though he never explicitly said why... I always thought you and Ryouta were a thing..."

You let out a huff, crossing your arms. "Hate to break it to you, but he's not my type... And his fangirls are annoying... I doubt our relationship would last based on that alone..."

She laughs, nodding. "I suppose you're right.... He can be a handful.. But so can Daiki, from what I've seen."

Your cheeks start to burn, and you try to find the words in your throat...

"D...Did you **SPY** on us??"

"It's not spying when I return home to see you guys cuddling outside... I didn't want to disturb you, so I went out for dinner with your father.." She shrugs. "It wasn't my business, and I'm not going to pry. Just know if you need to talk, I'm here."

It was the first time your mother had said anything like that... It's not that she wasn't reliable.. But she was busy with work, and visiting your father in the hospital... You hardly got a chance to see each other... You also kept yourself locked away during the Teiko incident, because you didn't think you could explain what was going on to her, let alone have her understand... She wasn't part of the sports world, after all... 

"...Thanks mom..."

* * *

By the time you got home, it was dark, and your eyes were begging to rest. A yawn escapes your lips, and although you had tests to study for, sleep was the healthier option. Your mind briefly drifts to the kiss, and your fingers raise up to touch your lips, heat beginning to crawl up your skin.. He was soft, tender.. Just the way he used to be... Your body finds its way to the bed, and you collapse on it, lazily kicking off your shoes.

Your heart begins to pick up, and soft tears slip down your cheeks... You knew you were in love with him... Everyone knew, and it seems like Daiki himself knew you were in love with him... 

So why didn't he stay longer? Why did he kiss you so softly, holding you as if you were made of glass... He was hesitant, and that's not a word you'd ever associate with him.. Not even after the Haizaki incident... Your eyes go to the teddy bear resting above your bed, and you slowly reach out to grab it, bringing him to your chest.

It was the bear he got you for your birthday...

You move to get under the covers, and let yourself drift to sleep. You could shower, study and eat later... You just wanted to feel that warmth again, to feel comforted and safe... Every emotion you ever felt when Aomine cuddled with you.. 

All you wanted was to feel his love engulf you, until you were burning by his touch.


End file.
